MYSTERIES. A YOUNG WOMAN
FROM A SMALL, TYPICALLY
SAFE TOWN VANISHES
WITHOUT A TRACE.
RUMORS AND SO MANY
QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN
CIRCLING FOR THE LAST 29
YEARS.
NOW THERE IS RENEWED
HOPE THAT ANSWERS MAY
FINALLY BE FOUND ABOUT
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF
TARA CALICO.
MELINDA:they )ve turned
her into an urban legend
MICHELE12:56 i always
felt like she will come
walking in the door at
any time..:00
MELINDA 42:52 people
know the name. a lot of
times they don )t know
what it is just that
they need to be afraid
of it
IT..... IS WHAT HAPPENED
ON THE AFTERNOON OF
SEPTEMBER 20TH
1988, ON A RURAL HIGHWAY
SOUTH OF BELEN.
19 YEAR OLD COLLEGE
STUDENT TARA
CALICO......VANISHED.
SHERIFF ROMERO:43 50
Yards from there we
found bicycle tracks
that match the bike she
was riding
4:59 We )ve gone through
everything and can )t
find much leads on
anything
29 YEARS LATER.....
MICHELE13:04 having that
hope day after day after
day
HER FAMILY IS STILL
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS.
MICHELE: 5:58 this isn )t
just an urban legend
just a story out there,
or a photograph or
something people heard
about or warned kids
about :09 this was a
person :09 and she
deserves it :09
pauses..and cries..:11
HER SISTER MICHELE ISN )T
READY TO STOP LOOKING.
5:18 KIM: do you think
this case is solvable
Michele Absolutely:"
absolutely AFTER YEARS
OF LEAD AFTER LEAD..
TARA CALICO FILE BITE
12:37 PATTY DOEL one
side hopes they find
something they other
wants them to
not find anything
.
AND DISAPPOINTMENT AND
HEARTACHE
MICHELE10:13 there )s
that hope, oh we )re
getting close, we )re
getting so close :17
MICHELE HAS TAKEN
MATTERS INTO HER OWN
HANDS.
WITH MELINDA ESQUIBEL,
TARA )S CLASSMATE AND
FRIEND.
MELINDA:36:59 i didn )t
have any of my friends
and i was so miserable
A FRIENDSHIP THAT
BLOSSOMED ON A BAND TRIP
BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
MELINDA37:06 she said
nope you are hanging
with us and took me and
hugged me and that is
how we
became friends
AFTER TARA )S
DISAPPEARANCE MELINDA
MOVED ON WITH LIFE...
THEN ONE NIGHT SHE WAS
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, AT
DINNER WITH FRIENDS AND
TARA CAME UP.
MELINDAthe response I
got from those at the
table who were my
classmates were oh
melinda the whole town
knows who did it...i
said what? i gasped what
do you mean they know
who did it there are
people in the
world looking for her.
AND SO BEGAN THE
MISSION... JUSTICE FOR
TARA CALICO.
MELINDA, A FILMMAKER....
DECIDED TO CREATE A
DOCUMENTARY BUT WHEN SHE
SAW THE CASE FILE AT THE
SHERIFF )S OFFICE...
MELINDA 35:24 they were
in shambles Kim,in
shambles.. there were
files with people )s
names on it and there
was nothing in there
these are the suspects
or persons of interest
THE MISSION TOOK A NEW
TURN.
MICHELE 2:04 it was like
okay now what, what do
we do now, so we started
investigating:11 IT TOOK
THEM TO PLACES THEY
DIDN )T EXPECT.
2:20 people did not want
to talk about it.
melinda 29:21 my life
has been threatened, my
family )s lives have been
threatened
BUT WITH TIME HAS COME
PROGRESS.
Michele: 9:46 there )s
different areas that
we )re searching that
were overlooked before
:53
Melinda: 30:49 there are
too many people
involved, powerful
forces that do not want
this case to be solved
SECRETS HIDDEN FOR YEARS
FINALLY BEING TOLD.
Michele 6:13 people have
passed who have strong
ties to the community
who may have deflected
people
coming forward. from
talking getting involved
and i think that has
made a difference
MICHELE AND MELINDA HAVE
SHARED ALL THE
INFORMATION
THEY )VE GATHERED WITH
INVESTIGATORS AT THE
VALENCIA COUNTY
SHEIRFF )S DEPARTMENT
WHICH REMAINS THE LEAD
AGENCY ON THE CASE...
THEY )ARE ALSO RELEASING
WHAT THEY )RE LEARNING
THROUGH A
PODCAST.
13:33:10 after that 2005
interview with sheriff )s
department started again
threats..anonymous phone
calls to my phone3:06
they knew tara calico
rode her bike from rio
communites to train
tracks :11
THAT PODCAST NOW BEING
SHARED AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
HOLLYWOOD STARS AND MANY
OTHERS JOINING THE
FIGHT......# JUSTICE FOR
TARA.
30:00 we are making
progress, and the more
national attention we
bring this i think the
sooner we
can bring her home.
DESPITE THIS PICTURE
MANY BELIEVED COULD BE
TARA, FOUND IN A
PARK LOT IN PORT ST. JOE
FLORIDA MONTHS AFTER HER
DISAPPEARANCE MICHELE
AND MELINDA...BELIEVE
THE STORY GOES NO
FURTHER THAN
VALENCIA COUNTY.
39:14when i really
discovered what happened
to her I just couldn )t
even believe it
that the same people I
grew
up with in Belen can )t
recognize the right
thing to do. How is that
possible the same people
we went to
school with, the same
people we went to church
with how can they not
decipher right from
wrong. Its not fair she
didn )t deserve it
MICHELE AND MELINDA SAY
IT )S TIME FOR THIS TO
END.
17:53 my parents worked
so hard and tried so
hard and gave everything
to find her :01 when my
mom passed
can )t imagine how
heartbroken she must and
felt :08 and i look at
my dad now with
wondering eyes
and disappointment not
knowing :16
18:36she would have been
somebody who contributed
to society she was a
good person :40 it makes
me so
sad :41 i think if that
was me she would not let
go there was no way she
would let go:48
38:43 Kim: this is a
big thing for someone
who is not family member
to take this on why in
here do you feel like
you need to get this
done,..Melinda: because
it )s the right thing to
do...its the right thing
to do
21:49 PAUSE with her
head down" Its been a
very long time
crying...and it )s
impacted not only our
family but a community
22:14 we would just
really would like to
bring her home.
22:49she was a person
and she deserves it :52
she )s not just an urban
legend or a
photograph..she was a
person :01
pause slow out
MUCH OF THE INFORMATION
UNCOVERED CAN NOT BE
RELEASED
TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE
THE FBI AND SHERIFF )S
DEPARTMENT ARE STILL
BUILDING A CASE AND
RECENTLY APOINTED A NEW
DETECTIVE TO
HANDLE IT.
AND THEY SAY THERE ARE
STILL MISSING PIECES TO
THE PUZZLE.
THEY ARE ASKING ANYONE
WITH ANY INFORMATION, NO
MATTER HOW LITTLE TO
CALL IT IN TO THE FBI
TIPLINE OR SHERIFF )S
OFFICE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST,
WE )VE PUT A LINK AT
ALWAYS ON KRQE DOT COM.
LY