The Unsolved Disappearance of Tara Calico: A 1988 Cold Case

The Disappearance of Tara Calico

• 💔 On September 20th, 1988, 19-year-old Tara Calico vanished while on her daily 35-mile bike ride near Rio Communities, New Mexico.
• 🏃‍♀️ Tara was described as independent, bright, driven, and athletic, with plans to pursue a career in psychology.
• 🚴‍♀️ She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt from her job at First National Bank of Bellon, white shorts, and white socks, riding her mother's neon pink bike.

Clues and Early Investigations

• 🚗 Several witnesses reported seeing a light-colored Ford pickup truck with a homemade camper shell following Tara on her ride.
• 🎶 Tara's Boston cassette tape was found near the side of the road, suggesting she may have dropped it deliberately as a clue.
• ⚠️ Bike tire scuff marks, a broken taillight lens, and drag marks indicated a possible struggle or accident near the cassette tape.
• 🌧️ The rainy and windy weather on the day of her disappearance may have washed away crucial evidence.

The Mysterious Polaroid Photograph

• 📸 In June 1989, a disturbing Polaroid photo surfaced, showing a young woman and a boy bound and gagged in the back of a white van.
• 📚 The photo included a copy of VC Andrews' novel "My Sweet Adrina," Tara's favorite author and book, fueling speculation it was her.
• 👦 The boy in the photo was tentatively identified by his mother as Michael Henley Jr., who had gone missing from New Mexico in April 1988.
• 🧐 Experts were divided on whether the photo depicted Tara and Michael, with some analyses being inconclusive.

Ongoing Investigations and Theories

• 🕵️‍♀️ Over the years, numerous theories emerged, including abduction by locals, a drug courier scenario, satanic cult involvement, or an accidental death followed by a cover-up.
• 🗣️ In 2008, a sheriff stated that the perpetrators were locals, possibly high school classmates, and that parents may have helped conceal the crime.
• 🚫 Despite leads and arrest warrants for two men, the case remains unsolved, largely due to the lack of a body.
• 💡 In 2017, Tara's sister and friend began investigating, creating a documentary and podcast, believing powerful individuals want the case to remain unsolved.

The Case Today

• 🌟 The FBI released an age-progression photo in 2018, and a $20,000 reward was offered in 2019 for information leading to an arrest.
• 🔍 In September 2021, investigators executed a search warrant related to the case, but updates remain sealed.
• ❓ Tara Calico's disappearance continues to be a perplexing cold case, with many believing the truth is known by locals but suppressed by fear or influence.