Desperate search for missing Virginia girl who went missing with convicted sex offender who got sweetheart plea deal
A 17-year-old girl named Autumn Van Zandt is missing and believed to be traveling with a convicted sex offender, Ronnie Keene Reel, who is over 20 years her senior. Police are concerned for her safety and have stated that she is missing under voluntary circumstances. The Fredericksburg Police Department has issued a plea for assistance in locating her.
- ▪Autumn Van Zandt, 17, has not been seen since Tuesday when she was spotted in Fredericksburg with 39-year-old Ronnie Keene Reel.
- ▪Reel was convicted of sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy in 2021 but received a plea deal due to prosecutors failing to meet evidence deadlines.
- ▪Van Zandt is described as five-foot, seven-inches tall, weighing about 135 pounds, with brown eyes and hair.
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US News Desperate search for missing Virginia girl who went missing with convicted sex offender who got sweetheart plea deal By Alex Oliveira Published May 22, 2026, 2:55 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Police are desperately hunting for a missing teenage girl who is believed to be travelling with a convicted sex offender more than 20 years her senior, according to reports. Autumn Van Zandt, 17, hasn’t been seen since Tuesday when she was spotted in Fredericksburg with 39-year-old Ronnie Keene Reel, and police suspect they may try to travel out of state. Van Zandt is believed to be “missing under voluntary circumstances,” police said, but her young age and suspected company have left family terrified.
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