Black And Missing

Karena McClerkin : 5 years since Indiana woman vanished

Karena McClerkin was 18 at the time when she was last seen on Oct. 11, 2016, in the 1000 block of South Washington Street in Kokomo, Indiana.

Published

3 years ago

October 16, 2021

Unheard Voices Staff

Karena McClerkin

Karena McClerkin was 18 at the time when she was last seen on Oct. 11, 2016, in the 1000 block of South Washington Street in Kokomo, Indiana.

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It has been five years since Karena McClerkin disappeared

McClerkin’s grandmother, Gerry, has fought ever since to find answers about what happened to her granddaughter.

The last conversation she had with her granddaughter was about attending a party.

Karena McClerkin said she was meeting up with a boy and then they would make their way to the party together, but sometime during the evening, she vanished without a trace.

“The last thing my granddaughter said to me – she held my hand and said, ‘I’ll be alright grandma, I’ll be alright,’” Gerry said to WRTV.

In a follow-up report on this case in 2019 on the anniversary of Karena’s disappearance, WRTV stated that the teen left the party she said she was going to then walked to a nearby BP gas station. It was there that Karena was captured by surveillance cameras before witnesses claimed that they saw her get into a vehicle in an alley. The car and who Karena may have been with is unknown.

Five years fervently trying to find Karena, Gerry worries her granddaughter’s case has not gotten the attention it deserves because Karena struggled with drugs and is of mixed race.

Karena was making plans to get help with her drug use, but she never got the chance.

Family urges for assistance

“I just want the community to step out for her. Five years is too long, way too long,” Gerry said of the search for her granddaughter.

Karena is a sister, an aunt, a daughter and a granddaughter. Her three-year-old niece is named after her. Gerry said the family has looked for Karena tirelessly these last five years.

“Over 500 miles in and around Kokomo from Jonesboro to Burlington, Peru…We have covered every woods we’ve driver by. We’d stop and knock on the door to see if we can walk through their woods,” Gerry said.

Potential Leads

Police have executed search warrants and exhausted leads in the case over the past two years, but have not turned up any information.

The McClerkin family also enlisted the services of four private investigators in 2018 to help them pursue some of those leads.

Description of Karena McClerkin

Karena McClerkin

At the time of her disappearance, Karena McClerkin stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 130 to 135 pounds. She is described as biracial (Black and White) with red/auburn hair and brown eyes. Both of her ears are pierced, she wears glasses (prescription), and has two tattoos: a round symbol on the inside of her right forearm and “RIP” with angel wings on the upper area of her right arm.

Karena goes by the nickname “Ree”. She was last seen wearing a black midriff shirt, a gray sweatshirt with a hood, ripped jeans, and brown sandals.

Reward

A $50,000 reward is still being offered for information on her case.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Karena McClerkin contact Kokomo Police at 765-456-7017 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.

Follow “Find Karena McClerkin” on Facebook

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Unheard Voices Magazine is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

Black And Missing

Update: Missing 12-year-old Maryland girl found

Tayzha Alona Warren, of Pikesville Md., disappeared June 20.

Published

4 months ago

June 26, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Baltimore County police announced they’ve found missing 12-year-old Tayzha Alona Warren.

Tayzha, of Pikesville Md., disappeared June 20.

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What happened to Tayzha Alona Warren?

Tayzha’s mother told WBALT 11 News that the girl’s family has been doing everything manageable to find her, saying they believe she possibly met an older person online and communicated with him until she disappeared.

According to Tayzha’s family, her friends mentioned a man in his 20s, but so far, no one has been able to give any more details.

Tayzha is described as 4 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 117 pounds and she has short brown hair and brown eyes.

Investigation

Tayzha’s family and the community had put up flyers in hopes someone has answers.

The Black and Missing Foundation posted information on its website. Under the circumstances of this disappearance, the group said it suspects Tayzha is trying to travel to Pennsylvania to meet an unidentified man and that she was last seen wearing red sparkling Crocs. Information about Tayzha was also posted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Baltimore County police said an investigation into Tayzha’s disappearance is ongoing.

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Unheard Voices Magazine is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

Black And Missing

Navy vet Jarvis McIntyre, 26, reportedly found dead in Texas after telling 911 he was running from someone

Jarvis McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 — and he was heard in a 911 call saying he was being chased by a “racist.”

Published

5 months ago

June 17, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Jarvis McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 — and he was overheard in a 911 calling someone chasing him a “racist.”

Javis McIntyre (Photo : Facebook)

The body of Navy veteran Jarvis McIntyre has been reportedly found in a Texas park after he was reported missing two weeks ago.

McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 and he was heard in a 911 call saying he was being chased by a “racist”, his mother told local outlet KENS5.

McIntyre’s mother, Monikki Williams Tippet, told the outlet that a body found days later at the San Antonio park had tattoos resembling those on her missing son.

Tippet says she and her family believes someone hurt her son because he was Black and gay.

“I want answers now. I want this person found,” she said, adding that her son “didn’t deserve this. They took my baby’s life for no reason.”

McIntyre is from St. Louis, Texas and had flown to San Antonio to visit his two sisters during his birthday weekend.

He was supposed to return home on Sunday 9 June, but he tragically never made it home.

The family said they want the San Antonio Police Department to do more to help find the person responsible.

“They are treating this like a murder case,” Tippet said. “It is being treated like a murder case.”

Anyone who knows any information about this case is asked to contact the San Antonio Police Department at (210) 207-7660.

Note: This article was updated June 21, to reflect new revelations in the case and McIntyre’s body has been confirmed as the body found in the park.

Black And Missing

Marine from Massachusetts goes missing off coast in Puerto Rico

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

Published

7 months ago

April 7, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Natasha Castillo-Vargas and Corporal Samuel Muturi Wanjiru (Photo Source: GoFundMe)

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

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Missing details for Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru

Corporal Samuel Wanjiru, 26, of Worcester, Mass., was swept away by ocean currents while being in the water at La Pared beach in Luquillo.

The Coast Guard launched helicopters and aircraft to look for Wanjiru, but those search efforts were unsuccessful. The active search was called off on April 1.

At the time of his disappearance, Wanjiru was vacationing with his partner of five years, Natasha Castillo-Vargas.

Castillo-Vargas, her father, and Wanjiru’s mother are still in Puerto Rico, returning to the beach daily where Wanjiru went missing, continuing to look for him.

GoFundMe

She has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with expenses and search efforts while they remain in Puerto Rico.

“Samuel’s mother and I are trying to get as much resources and help as we can because we will not give up hope in finding our Samuel. Please, anything anyone can help with would be most appreciated.”

In addition to donations, the family asks the public for prayers and love during this “devastating and heart aching time.”

“We are firm believers in God as Samuel is too and we have faith that he will be found. Thank you for your support!”