In Nashville, Tennessee, the search for answers continues in the disappearance of Wanda Faye Walker, a 60-year-old woman who vanished on October 4, 2016. A resident of the 1400 block of 11th Avenue South, where she lived with a cousin, Wanda was a familiar and beloved figure to her family. On the day she was last seen, the grandmother and part-time Dollar Tree employee was on her way to work when she encountered car trouble.
Her boyfriend at the time reported that her silver Nissan Maxima had overheated near Wedgewood Avenue. He met her and added oil to the vehicle, getting it started again before they parted ways. Wanda, a Black female with her natural brown hair characteristically dyed blond and styled in a short afro, was never seen or heard from again.
The days following Wanda's failure to show up for work were filled with growing concern for her family, with whom she maintained regular contact. Their worry prompted them to file a missing person report. Approximately a week after she was last seen, on October 13, 2016, her Nissan Maxima was discovered abandoned and locked in an alley in the 1000 block of Wade Avenue, just a few blocks from her home. Neighbors indicated the car had been parked there for about a week. Inside the vehicle, investigators found her purse and other personal belongings. A grim discovery was also made in the backseat: a significant amount of blood, which was later confirmed to be Wanda's. The scene suggested a struggle had occurred, leading authorities to suspect foul play in her disappearance. An unusual clue found within the car was the presence of privet, a type of flowering shrub.
The investigation into Wanda Walker's disappearance has left her family grappling with immense uncertainty and pain. Law enforcement has stated their belief that Wanda was likely killed. In an effort to generate new leads, the FBI has partnered with the Nashville police, offering a reward for information that could lead to an arrest. Tragically, this is not the first time the Walker family has endured the anguish of a missing loved one. In 1999, Wanda's 23-year-old daughter, Laresha 'Deana' Walker, also disappeared from Nashville and has never been found. While investigators have not found any evidence to suggest the two cases are related, the double tragedy has compounded the family's grief. The case of Wanda Faye Walker's disappearance remains an active investigation, a painful puzzle of a loving grandmother who vanished on her way to work, leaving behind a family desperate for closure.Last Seen: Oct 4, 2016
