Sacoya Cooper, a 33-year-old transgender woman, was last seen on August 31, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. At approximately 11:30 p.m., she informed her partner that she was driving to a nearby convenience store to purchase bottled water. She left her residence in her black 2009 Ford Fusion and never returned. The following day, September 1, 2021, her partner reported her missing to the Columbus Division of Police.
Friends and family grew increasingly concerned as it was uncharacteristic of her to be out of contact, and her cell phone appeared to be turned off. At the time of her disappearance, Sacoya was described as having brown hair styled in 'lemonade braids' that were swept to one shoulder, and brown eyes. She has two distinct tattoos: 'Sacoya' on her left rear thigh and 'Go Get the $' on her right front thigh. She was last seen wearing a black and white summer dress and black and white Baby Phat sandals.
The investigation into Sacoya's disappearance has been ongoing, with authorities and her loved ones tirelessly searching for answers. In October 2021, her black 2009 Ford Fusion was recovered in west Columbus after being identified by a license plate reader system. Notably, the vehicle had stolen license plates at the time it was found. Law enforcement has stated that they believe Sacoya was the victim of foul play. In an effort to generate new leads, the FBI has offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to her location. There have also been reports that someone accessed her Facebook Messenger account on at least two occasions since she was last seen.
Sacoya, who also went by the name Devin, was born on August 9, 1988. She grew up in Toledo, Ohio, after being adopted at the age of nine. In 2021, she relocated to Columbus, where she initially lived with a close friend before finding her own place. At the time she went missing, she was working as a crew manager at a local McDonald's and living with her partner in the North Linden neighborhood. Her case has drawn attention from organizations like the Black Queer & Intersectional Collective which have highlighted the disparities in media coverage for missing Black and transgender individuals. The circumstances surrounding Sacoya Cooper's disappearance remain a mystery, and her case is an active and unsolved missing persons investigation. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact the Columbus Police Department or the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers.Last Seen: Aug 31, 2021
