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Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP11826) and 10 other sources
In May of 1999, 27-year-old Trista A. Bultema was last seen in Hazel Crest, Illinois, in the company of her boyfriend. The specific date of her disappearance is noted as May 16, 1999. At the time she went missing, Trista was described as a white female with blond hair and blue eyes, standing at 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 120 pounds. She has several distinguishing physical characteristics, including scars on her left elbow and a missing left calf muscle. Additionally, she had previously sustained numerous fractures to her left leg and a fractured jaw in 1991.

The circumstances surrounding Trista's disappearance remain limited, though it is known that she was with her boyfriend on the day she was last seen. Reports indicate that Trista was in an abusive relationship at the time she went missing. Following her disappearance, she was never heard from again. Concerns for her welfare were amplified by a history of suicide attempts. The official missing person case was created on July 29, 2011, years after she was last seen. The Oak Lawn Police Department is the investigating agency for her case.

Years have passed since Trista Bultema was last seen, and her case has grown cold. Information provided by family members suggests that her boyfriend at the time never reported her missing. A family member recounted that Trista and her boyfriend had an argument, after which he was seen with her bags but never spoke of her again. The case, which was opened in May of 1999, was reportedly closed just a few months later in July of that same year. Despite the passage of time, the search for answers continues, with her case listed in national missing persons databases. The overview of this case highlights a young woman with distinct physical vulnerabilities who was last seen with her boyfriend amidst reports of an abusive relationship, leaving behind a prolonged and painful mystery for her loved ones.

Last Seen: May 16, 1999

Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

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.

78%Possible
Jane Doe — Illinois
UP8595 • Found Jul 12, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 20–40 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'2" vs 5'1"
Weight 75%147 lb vs 120 lb
Hair 10%Black vs Blond
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Manteno, Illinois - unidentified case UP8552
Jane Doe — Manteno, Illinois
UP8552 • Found Oct 9, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 27 when missing
Location 96%23 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'2" vs 5'1"
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP138168 • Found Apr 19, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 90%Est. 30–45 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%21 mi away, same county
TimingFound 23 months after last seen
Height 36%5'6" vs 5'1"
Weight 88%139 lb vs 120 lb

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.