Woman Accuses Stepfather In Mother’s Disappearance

Nine months ago, Shelbie says she found out from her mother's husband of seven years, Ed Zapletal, that her mom, Carie Zapletal, had been missing from their Memphis home for two days. Shelbie says she fears that her mom is dead and was the victim of foul play at the hands of her stepfather and possibly his daughter, Lauren.

"I truly believe that my mother's husband, Ed, had something to do with my mother's disappearance," says Shelbie, who is desperate for answers.

But Ed denies the accusation. "Shelbie can't see the facts. When Carie disappeared, I had just had a stroke and I was physically incapable of getting out of bed," he says. "She's blinded by her dislike of me. I'm absolutely fed up with all this finger pointing and I want it to stop."

In the video above, Shelbie explains that she doesn't believe Ed is acting like a man whose wife has vanished. "I've spent countless hours searching for my mom. I've posted hundreds of flyers. I even got the local news stations to cover my mom's story," says Shelbie. "Ed didn't get motivated until he found out we contacted the Dr. Phil show."

On Thursday's episode of Dr. Phil, Ed claims that Carie, 48, was an alcoholic who also abused prescription drugs, and he says she has been spotted around Memphis as recently as last week. Ed also claims that he and his wife had entered into a suicide pact the night before she went missing. "She was going to kill herself, and I would kill myself also," he says. Dr. Phil attempts to get to the bottom of this mystery that is tearing a family apart -- watch more here.

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