“Return to the Landing”: Dateline Reports on Heather Elvis Homicide May 31 2025

This Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 10:00 PM ET/9:00 PM CT, Dateline NBC airs “Return to the Landing,” an episode revisiting the mysterious 2013 disappearance of 20-year-old Heather Elvis in Horry County, South Carolina. Correspondent Andrea Canning leads the investigation, featuring interviews with Heather’s parents, Debbi and Terry Elvis, and her sister, Morgan, as well as those involved in the long legal process that led to convictions. This tragic case, unresolved for years, eventually culminated in the convictions of a married couple, Sidney and Tammy Moorer, for Heather’s kidnapping.

The episode offers insight into the emotional toll of the case, the complex relationship at its center, and the dogged efforts by investigators and Heather’s family to seek justice despite the absence of a body.

The Disappearance That Shook a Community

Heather Elvis vanished in the early morning hours of December 18, 2013. She had just returned from a date, trying to move on from a complicated and painful relationship with Sidney Moorer, a married man she had met while working at a restaurant. At 1:44 AM, she called her roommate to talk about the night. Less than five hours later, her phone went dark, and she was never heard from again.

Her car was found abandoned at Peachtree Landing, a remote boat launch along the Waccamaw River. The vehicle showed no sign of struggle, but her phone, keys, and purse were missing. Extensive searches, including dives in the river and efforts by volunteers, yielded no evidence of Heather’s whereabouts. Though her body has never been found, the location of her car became the critical starting point of a case that would evolve into a massive legal battle.

The Affair and Its Fallout

Sidney Moorer was a married man with children when he began an affair with Heather Elvis in mid-2013. The affair became toxic. Tammy Moorer, Sidney’s wife, found out and began a campaign of harassment, sending Heather angry texts and attempting to get her fired. Sidney reportedly told Heather he would leave his wife, but soon the relationship ended under Tammy’s pressure. Sidney cruelly ended things while Tammy listened in, calling Heather “nothing.”

Heather’s friends described her as heartbroken. Despite trying to move on—evidenced by her date the night she disappeared—she still had recent contact with Sidney. Phone records and surveillance footage later showed Sidney purchasing a pregnancy test and calling Heather from a payphone just before she vanished, suggesting renewed contact.

Investigation and Arrests

Initially, law enforcement had little physical evidence to act on. But phone records and security footage began painting a picture. Investigators tracked both Heather’s and Sidney’s phone activity. Heather’s phone was active until just after 3:40 AM, near the area where her car was later discovered. Meanwhile, Sidney was seen on camera at a Walmart and calling Heather from a payphone—actions he denied until confronted with video proof.

After months of investigation, Sidney and Tammy Moorer were arrested in February 2014. Both were charged with murder, kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and indecent exposure. The murder and indecent exposure charges were eventually dropped, but the couple remained at the center of a highly publicized case.

Legal Proceedings: Trials and Convictions

The road to justice was long and marked by mistrials, appeals, and public controversy. Sidney’s first kidnapping trial in 2016 ended in a mistrial when the jury could not reach a unanimous decision. In 2017, he was convicted of obstruction of justice for lying about making the payphone call to Heather. He was sentenced to ten years in prison.

Tammy went to trial in 2018 for kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap. The prosecution argued she had a strong motive—jealousy—and that her behavior was controlling, even abusive. Testimony included evidence of her threatening Heather and controlling her husband’s every move. After a high-profile 11-day trial, she was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Sidney was retried and convicted of kidnapping in 2019. He too received a 30-year sentence. Both Moorers lost appeals up to the South Carolina Supreme Court, and both remain incarcerated.

Aftermath and Continuing Questions

Despite the convictions, Heather’s body has never been found, leaving a painful void for her family. In March 2025, Sidney filed a motion seeking a new trial, citing claims of jury bias, ineffective legal representation, and withheld evidence. He remains imprisoned but continues to assert his innocence.

Meanwhile, Heather’s family continues to honor her memory through community events and advocacy. “Return to the Landing” revisits not only the facts of the case but also the profound emotional impact on those closest to Heather. The Elvis family’s resolve has never wavered, and they continue to fight for answers.

Dateline’s coverage underscores the depth and heartbreak of this case—one that remains, in many ways, unresolved. The truth about what happened to Heather Elvis may still be hidden, but her name lives on as a symbol of perseverance, injustice, and the enduring love of a grieving family.