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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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

4 weeks 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!”

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Black And Missing

Baltimore police searching for kidnapped 4-year-old

4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers was reportedly kidnapped in front of his West Baltimore home.

Published

2 months ago

March 5, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Kaimir Rodgers (Photo Source: Baltimore Police)

Update: The search for 4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers has been called off. Baltimore police say he was found safe and unharmed at a family member’s home in Baltimore County.

Detectives are still investigating it as a kidnapping.

Authorities in Baltimore are seeking the public’s help in finding 4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers.

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4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers is missing

According to police, Kaimir was taken from his family’s home in the 1900 block of Ruxton Avenue in West Baltimore on Tuesday. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt.

Police shared a video of the child being carried away by a person wearing light gray sweatpants, a dark gray hoodie and pink sneakers.

The person is seen accompanied by two other people, according to police. One is dressed in all black and the other is seen wearing a light gray sweatshirt, dark gray pants and a black ski mask.

Information on his disappearance

If you have any information on Kaimir’s whereabouts and the identities of those who took him, call 911 or Baltimore detectives at 410-396-2477.

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Black And Missing

FBI offers $15K reward in search for missing 12-year-old girl

The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating 12-year-old Lori Paige.

Published

2 months ago

February 21, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Lori Paige

The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating 12-year-old Lori Paige.

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Missing details

Lori went missing from Tallahassee, Floria on June 3, 2023.

Authorities is offering $15k on any information on Lori’s disappearance.

“The FBI will stop at nothing to protect kids, and we are fully committed to helping our partners at Tallahassee Police Department exhaust every investigative resource in the search for Lori Paige,” FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis told WTXL news station.

“We encourage everyone to keep an eye out for this young lady, and help us bring her home.”

According to the FBI, Lori has ties to or may visit Tallahassee, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Thomasville, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Authorities are taking the missing case seriously, statimh in a media advisory on Feb. 1 that TPD’s Special Victims Unit is continuing to “tirelessly explore every lead and resource to locate [Lori Paige].”

“The length of time that has passed and her young age only heightens our concerns for her well-being,” the statement said.

“Despite our persistent efforts, Lori remains out of contact with her family and friends. However, we remain committed to bringing her home safely.

About Lori Paige

The 12-year-old was a student at Griffin Middle School.

She was last seen on June 3, 2023 in the 1200 block of Continental Ct in Tallahassee.

She is described as a dark-skinned Black female with shoulder length locs, black hair, brown eyes and weighs about 120 pounds.

Police said that it is unknown what she was wearing when she was last seen, but she may have had a multicolored backpack.

Police are asking anyone with information that could lead to Lori’s recovery to contact TPD at 850-891-4200.

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