Lisa McVey survived an abduction and assault by Bobby Joe Long in Florida in 1984. After her release, her detailed observations helped investigators identify him. Her account and the Lifetime film Believe Me emphasize both her survival and the importance of being believed.
Content note: violence, abuse, or loss. Linked material may contain graphic descriptions. Screen dramatizations may change events and dialogue.
Tampa, Florida. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Map sources checked September 14, 2026. No case-specific Odd Stops location was found in this review.
See this case’s source review
Odd Stops
No verified match found. Source imagery is linked; only separately licensed photos are reproduced.
MurderData
No verified match found.
ArcGIS essay
Not included in this essay.
Reddit map
Reviewed as a general resource. Its coordinates and victim counts were not adopted as case evidence.
“No verified match” describes the accessible material found in this review, not proof that a source has never covered the case. MAP’s anonymous records were not individually matched to people.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
Lifetime
Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey
Dramatized screen account. Follow the link for the title listing or available viewing options; scenes and dialogue may be adapted.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
This section is awaiting its first entry.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
04Newspaper clippings
2 items
Original newspaper coverage, hosted by Newspapers.com. Read each article in the context of its publication date; later findings may differ. Full-page access may require sign-in.
Featured newspaper clipping
Read a featured clipping here, then explore more reporting in the newspaper archive.
Tampa Bay Times · 2019-05-24 · Page A4
Lisa McVey recounts survival and her work in law enforcement
An interview revisits the evidence McVey gathered during captivity and her later career helping others.
Survivor testimony published around Bobby Joe Long's execution; contains accounts of sexual violence.
Loads the article viewer from Newspapers.com. That service receives your browser and connection information and may use cookies. Access is controlled by the publisher; a subscription may be needed for additional archive material.
Case videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
True Crime Conversations
Lisa McVey: In Her Own Words, On Surviving A Serial Killer
Video from True Crime Conversations covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 1:14:50.
Wicked and Grim: A True Crime Podcast — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Survival Story of Lisa McVey - Part 1.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Outside blogs, personal essays, and creator write-ups. These reflect each author’s perspective. Check publication dates and compare claims with reporting and court records.
This section is awaiting its first entry.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
09Internet Archive
1 items
Individual records from Internet Archive: library books, historical broadcasts, and preserved web pages. A catalog listing does not guarantee free reading or full playback. Access, previews, and borrowing are controlled by Internet Archive.
Internet Archive · Library record · 1997
Smoldering embers : the true story of a serial murderer and three courageous women
Wellman, Joy · McVey, Lisa · Replogle, Susan. A library catalog record for a book connected with Lisa McVey. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
11Court records & documents
2 items
Court opinions, filings, transcripts, and dockets, alongside clearly labeled parole records, released investigative files, and courtroom recordings. Each item identifies its source and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. These selections are not complete case files. Where an online document could not be verified, a separate guide identifies the records office or archive to contact.
Related criminal caseArchive copy
Long v. State — related Virginia Johnson murder appeal
An appeal from a separate murder prosecution of Lisa McVey’s abductor, Bobby Joe Long. This concerns Virginia Johnson’s death, not an offense in which McVey died.
Long v. State — related Michelle Simms proceedings
A later Florida Supreme Court decision concerning Bobby Joe Long’s sentence for Michelle Simms’s murder. Listed as related criminal proceedings involving McVey’s abductor.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
13Where are they now?
0 items
The latest information verified for this collection is listed below. Each source has its own date; these are not live custody records.
A current-status update has not been verified for this case yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
14Positive Outcome
0 items
Documented laws, advocacy, and reforms connected to this case. Changes do not undo the harm, and listing a law does not claim that it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific law, reform, or advocacy initiative has been verified for this collection yet. This does not mean that none exists.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
Lisa McVey — media, court records & case files | Unforgotten Casebook
07Social Media
11 itemsCase videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
True Crime Conversations
Lisa McVey: In Her Own Words, On Surviving A Serial Killer
Video from True Crime Conversations covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 1:14:50.
Watch on YouTubeMurder With My Husband
116. Lisa McVey and the Tampa Bay Victims
Video from Murder With My Husband covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 51:16.
Watch on YouTubeTrue Crime Conversations
Lisa McVey: Inside The Minds Behind The Viral Film 'Believe Me'
Video from True Crime Conversations covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 39:14.
Watch on YouTubeInvestigation Discovery
After Evil: Lisa McVey Noland Family Life | Surviving Evil
Video from Investigation Discovery covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 2:32.
Watch on YouTubeInvestigation Discovery
After Evil: Lisa McVey Noland Changes Her Life | Surviving Evil
Video from Investigation Discovery covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 3:25.
Watch on YouTubeInvestigation Discovery
After Evil: Lisa McVey Noland Life Changes | Surviving Evil
Video from Investigation Discovery covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 2:20.
Watch on YouTubeBrooke Makenna
SURVIVED: Lisa McVey Escaped & Helped Catch Serial Killer
Video from Brooke Makenna covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 39:07.
Watch on YouTube10 Tampa Bay News
Serial killer survivor shares story of survival, strength
Video from 10 Tampa Bay News covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 23:23.
Watch on YouTubeFilmRise True Crime
Forensic Files - Season 2, Episode 1 - The Common Thread - (In HD)
Video from FilmRise True Crime covering the Lisa McVey case. Length: 21:46.
Watch on YouTubeReddit · r/netflix
Discussion: Just watched Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey
Public community discussion connected to Lisa McVey. Posts and comments are reader perspectives, not independently verified reporting.
Read the discussionFacebook · Creator channel
Wicked and Grim: A True Crime Podcast — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Survival Story of Lisa McVey - Part 1.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Visit the Facebook page