Account
Jun 21, 2010
May 30, 2023
Michelle
Maitland
57
29
60 inches
70 inches
120 lbs
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the late summer of 1996, a 29-year-old woman named Michelle Renee Maitland vanished from Olympia, Washington, leaving behind a young child and a life that seemed to just stop. The last confirmed sighting of Michelle, who was also known by her nickname Shelley, was on September 12, 1996. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as a white female with brown hair and green eyes, standing between 5'6" and 5'7" tall and weighing between 120 and 140 pounds. When she was last seen, she was wearing a black sweater, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. The circumstances surrounding Michelle's disappearance became more alarming when her brown 1985 Mazda RX7 was discovered abandoned in a gravel parking lot at the west end of the Narrows Bridge. Inside the vehicle, authorities found personal belongings, including her purse, keys, and an eyeglass case, but there was no sign of Michelle herself. The discovery of her car and personal items left behind suggested that she did not leave on her own accord, and her family reported her missing after several days of not hearing from her. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office is the investigating agency for her case. The investigation into Michelle's disappearance has continued over the years, with law enforcement and her family seeking answers. Foul play is suspected in her case, but despite the passage of time, few details have emerged to provide a clear picture of what happened to her. Her case is considered an endangered missing person case, and it remains an active investigation. The lack of resolution has left her loved ones in a painful state of uncertainty, hoping that one day they will find out what happened to Michelle. The overview of the case is a young mother who disappeared under suspicious circumstances, with her car and personal belongings found abandoned. The lack of significant leads has made this a challenging and long-running cold case for investigators.
Sep 12, 1996
Olympia
Washington
Pierce County
98513
No
8709
Pierce County Sheriff's Office
Tacoma
Washington
Pierce County
98402
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Washington
2537987530
County
Law Enforcement
962640382
2001-08-10
Pierce County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Green
Green
06/22/2026
