On a summer day in Tacoma, Washington, just two days before her fourteenth birthday, Angela 'Angie' Meeker vanished. It was July 7, 1979, when the 13-year-old girl left her family's home on South 41st Street to walk the short distance to the Tacoma Mall. Her plan was simple: to buy a birthday card for a friend, as they were going to celebrate with a joint party that evening.
Angela, a young woman with dark blonde, shoulder-length hair and hazel eyes, was reportedly wearing jeans, a blue flowered top or a blue or red satin jacket, thong sandals, and a distinctive black felt hat. She has not been seen or heard from since.
In the initial stages of her disappearance, there was a crucial delay in the investigation. Because Angela had a history of being truant from school and occasionally leaving home for a few days at a time, both her family and the police initially thought she might have been a runaway. This assumption meant she wasn't officially listed as a missing person for two years. However, her family, particularly her mother, quickly felt this time was different, especially when Angela didn't return for her birthday or the concert she was excited to attend with her boyfriend. Her father and sister have been adamant that she would not have willingly left them, a sentiment that has only grown stronger over the decades.
Over the many years that have passed, Angela Meeker's case has remained an open and active investigation, with detectives suspecting foul play. The theory that she was a runaway has been dismissed, as she had plans and personal belongings, including birthday presents, waiting for her at home. A male acquaintance later told police he had given Angela a ride and dropped her off near a Payless store close to the mall, which is considered her last confirmed sighting, though there were unconfirmed reports of her being at the party later that evening. Her mother has expressed her belief that Angela may have been hitchhiking that day and met with harm. The lack of modern technology like cell phones or extensive surveillance footage from that era has made the investigation challenging. Despite the passage of time, her family continues to hold out hope for answers and justice for Angie, while the Tacoma Police Department and the FBI continue to seek any information that might finally bring a resolution to this long and painful mystery.Last Seen: Jul 7, 1979
