Where Is Elizabeth Thomas? Missing Tennessee Student Spotted With Tad Cummins

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed a break in the case of missing teen Elizabeth Thomas Friday — more than two weeks after she disappeared. The TBI confirmed Thomas had been spotted at a Walmart in Oklahoma City in the first official sighting of the 15-year-old and the man believed to have abducted her.

Surveillance video showed Thomas alongside Tad Cummins, a former teacher who authorities suspect kidnapped her, in the store March 15. Fifty-year-old Cummins, who appeared with significantly darker hair, could be seen purchasing food. The surveillance clip also appeared to show Thomas with red hair — a departure from the lighter hair shown in TBI issued photos.

Read: Elizabeth Thomas Knew Something Bad Would Happen Before Disappearance

This is the first official sighting of the two. Numerous others have produced false leads.

Cummins is believed to have kidnapped Thomas March 13, just after a student reported seeing him kiss her inside a classroom. The school had been investigating the relationship between the student and teacher since before they disappeared, but both denied anything inappropriate was occurring, according to CNN.

Authorities told the public recently that the relationship between the two was “not a romance.”

“She is 15, a child. He is 50, a grown man. She’s a high school freshman. He’s a former teacher. This is, and was, not a romance,” TBI director Mark Gwyn told reporters Tuesday. “This was manipulation solely to benefit Tad Cummins. This is not a fairy tale. This is a case of kidnapping.”

In the days following her disappearance, Thomas’ brother came forward to say that she had an inkling something bad was going to happen when she left the house March 13. James Thomas told reporters that his sister said she was heading out that afternoon, but that if she wasn’t home by 6 p.m., someone should call the police.

“She didn’t think she was going to be gone that long, I guess, because she did expect to be home by dinner that night,” he told reporters.

TBI urged the public to be on the lookout for a silver Nissan Rogue with Tennessee license tags reading 976-ZPT and to report any relevant information to 1-800-TBI-FIND.