Search intensifies for missing 72-year-old Jacksonville Navy veteran as family reports suspected scam-related transactions

Case centers on Westside disappearance and unusual account activity

Jacksonville authorities and relatives are searching for 72-year-old Navy veteran Margaret Hanley, who has not been heard from for more than a week. Her family reported her missing after contact stopped and subsequent financial activity raised concerns that she may have been targeted by scammers.

The family says Hanley lived alone on Jacksonville’s Westside and was generally independent. Her son, Jomo Thompson, said relatives became alarmed midweek when they realized no one had been able to reach her since Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.

Vehicle location data suggests travel into Georgia

Investigators are also attempting to locate Hanley’s vehicle, described as a 2001 silver Toyota RAV4 with Florida license plate ESMF23. Location data associated with the car indicated it had appeared in multiple places, with the most recent known signal placing it in Hinesville, Georgia. Thompson said that kind of travel would be out of character based on his mother’s typical driving habits.

Family points to repeated small withdrawals and a larger check record

Alongside the disappearance, the family says they reviewed Hanley’s bank activity after she had granted Thompson permission to access the account. Thompson reported noticing multiple transactions in $200 increments that he described as unusual. The family also found documentation indicating a written check for $12,000.

The family says they do not know whether Hanley left home because of suspected financial manipulation, whether she was pressured into travel by someone else, or whether her disappearance is unrelated to the account activity.

What is confirmed and what remains unknown

• Confirmed: Hanley is a 72-year-old Navy veteran and has been out of contact since early February 2026.
• Confirmed: Her family has reported concerns about unusual financial transactions, including $200-increment activity and a record of a $12,000 check.
• Confirmed: Her 2001 silver Toyota RAV4 (Florida plate ESMF23) has been associated with location signals extending into Georgia, most recently around Hinesville.
• Unknown: Whether Hanley’s disappearance is directly linked to suspected scam activity.
• Unknown: Her current location and condition.

Anyone who believes they have seen Margaret Hanley or her vehicle is urged to contact law enforcement immediately.

Broader context: scams and missing-person investigations

Law enforcement agencies across Florida have repeatedly warned that older adults are frequently targeted in schemes that rely on secrecy, urgency and incremental withdrawals. In cases where a potential scam overlaps with a missing-person investigation, authorities typically seek to quickly preserve financial records, trace transactions, and compare them with known travel patterns and vehicle-location information.

For Hanley’s family, the immediate goal remains locating her and reestablishing contact while investigators work to determine whether a scam, coercion, or another circumstance preceded her disappearance.