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Terasi Niholimbele Missing Person Case

Last seen in Phoenix, Arizona on Aug 30, 2017

Victim Details

Sep 20, 2017

Mar 25, 2024

Terasi

Niholimbele

32

23

66 inches

68 inches

125 lbs

135 lbs

Black / African American

Male

Aug 30, 2017

Phoenix

Arizona

Maricopa County

34041

Phoenix Police Department

Phoenix

Arizona

Maricopa County

85004

Christopher Jansen

Detective

2120 North Central Avenue, Arizona

6022626151

Local

Law Enforcement

201700001537938

Sep 1, 2017

Phoenix Police Department

10762

Black

Brown

Brown

Oct 10, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP39899) and 8 other sources
In the late afternoon of August 30, 2017, a 23-year-old man named Terasi Niholimbele told his wife he was heading out to run an errand in Phoenix, Arizona. A friend gave him a ride and dropped him off at a house in the area of the 5500 block of West Flower Street. He was expected to call his friend for a ride back, but that call was never made. Dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blue jogging pants and carrying a dark-colored backpack, Terasi vanished and has not been heard from since. His family, increasingly worried, officially reported him missing on the first of September. Terasi's life journey had already been one of significant challenges; born in a refugee camp in Tanzania after his family fled the genocide in Burundi, he moved to the United States at the age of four. As a young man, he was a husband and a father to a young daughter whom he adored.

The circumstances surrounding Terasi's disappearance are deeply troubling and suggest the possibility of foul play. The house where he was last seen was known to have connections to a drug cartel. A few months after he went missing, a man was murdered at that same location in what police described as a drug-related homicide. While a definitive link to Terasi's case has not been established, authorities believe some of the individuals involved in that murder may also have information about his disappearance. His wife, Cheyenne Waters, has stated that while he used marijuana for which he had a medical card, he was not involved in illegal drugs. She fears he may have been murdered after getting mixed up with the wrong people. The Phoenix Police Department has received tips from witnesses claiming that Terasi was the victim of a homicide, but these statements have not yet been verified.

Terasi's family has been left in a painful state of uncertainty. His life in the U.S. included struggles with mental health, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his young adulthood, which at times led to hospitalizations or arrests when he was inconsistent with his medication. Despite these challenges, it was highly uncharacteristic of him to be out of touch with his family, with whom he shared a close bond. He held a green card but never became a U.S. citizen, and at one point faced deportation proceedings, which were ultimately halted due to his mental health, his status as a refugee, and the fact that his wife and child are American citizens. The investigation into his disappearance remains open, a cold case that leaves his loved ones without answers. His wife has expressed the profound grief of not knowing his fate, unable even to have a funeral to find some semblance of closure. The overview of this case is one of a young life, already marked by adversity and displacement, that seemingly ended under a cloud of suspicion and mystery, leaving a family to grapple with an unresolved loss.
Last Seen: Aug 30, 2017

Links to Additional Sources (8)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Bring Terasi Home - Facebook
  • Arizona's Missing: Terasi Niholimbele
  • Episode 159: Terasi Niholimbele Part 2 - The Vanished Podcast
  • Terasi Niholimbele-missing from Phoenix
  • Missing Person – Suspicious Circumstances – Terasi Niholimbele
  • EPISODE 158: Terasi Niholimbele Part 1 - The Vanished Podcast
  • Terasi Niholimbele - The Charley Project
  • Terasi Niholimbele: Still Missing After 9 Years - Apple Podcasts

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    81%Moderate
    John Doe — Mesa, Arizona - unidentified case UP148478
    John Doe — Mesa, Arizona
    UP148478 • Found Jul 24, 2025
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 27–37 vs 23 when missing
    Race 100%Black
    Location 94%31 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2"–5'6" vs 5'6"–5'8"
    Hair 100%Black vs Black

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (3)

    Has anyone else looked into the connection between Tersasi's disappearance and the shooting that... ...Read More
    04/27/2023
    Hey everyone, I've been following Tersasi Niholimbele's case, and one thing that stands out to me is... ...Read More
    01/14/2023
    Has anyone looked into the timeline surrounding the events at that house on North 54th Lane? It's... ...Read More
    01/07/2023

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