The Vanishing of Misty Copsey: A 14-Year-Old's Disappearance That Still Haunts Tacoma

A Day at the Fair Turns Tragic

On September 17, 1992, 14-year-old Misty Copsey attended the Puyallup Fair in Washington with her friend Trina Bevard. After enjoying the fair, Misty planned to take the 8:40 p.m. Pierce Transit bus back to her home in Spanaway. However, she missed the bus and called her mother, Diana Smith, to inform her. Misty mentioned the possibility of getting a ride from 18-year-old friend Rheuban Schmidt, but Diana, distrusting Schmidt, advised against it. Misty then decided to walk home, an eight-mile journey. A witness later reported seeing her around 10:00 p.m. walking along Meridian Avenue toward the westbound on-ramp of Highway 512 in Puyallup.

Initial Investigations and Missteps

When Misty failed to return home, her mother reported her missing the next day. Initially, the police treated the case as a runaway situation, influenced by unverified reports from classmates claiming to have seen or heard from Misty after her disappearance. This assumption led to delays in the investigation, with authorities not interviewing key individuals like Bevard and Schmidt until five months later.

Discovery of Personal Belongings

In February 1993, a private search party discovered Misty's jeans, underwear, and shoes in a ditch near the intersection of State Highway 410 and Weyco Road, close to the Mud Mountain Dam area. The clothing was covered in mud and appeared to have been exposed to the elements for some time. Thirteen days later, her toothbrush and hair pick were found approximately half a mile from the location of her clothing. Laboratory analysis revealed no blood or semen on the clothing, but three red paint chips were found on the jeans. A DNA test conducted in 2009 on the jeans showed DNA from an unidentified male, not Misty.

Persons of Interest and Theories

Rheuban Schmidt, the friend Misty considered for a ride, claimed he couldn't pick her up due to a lack of gasoline. His roommate stated that Schmidt left shortly after the phone conversation, but Schmidt denied going to pick up Misty. He later admitted to suffering from blackouts and couldn't recall events after the second phone call with Misty. Schmidt underwent a polygraph test, which was inconclusive, and a second test, which he passed. Despite this, he remained a person of interest. ...Read More

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