Police in Tacoma, Washington, are currently investigating a cold case in the city’s Oakland neighborhood, with a significant police presence observed near the intersection of South Gunnison Street and South Wright Avenue. Officers have been seen conducting excavations in the backyard of a private home, though authorities have not disclosed which specific cold case is being investigated. As of now, there is no official indication that this investigation is connected to the 1999 disappearance of Teekah Lewis, a two-year-old girl who was abducted from a nearby bowling alley, despite the proximity of the investigation site to that case.
Tacoma has recently seen increased attention on its unsolved cold cases, especially following notable breakthroughs using genetic genealogy. In 2018, police arrested Gary C. Hartman for the 1986 rape and murder of 12-year-old Michella Welch, thanks to advances in DNA analysis that helped crack the decades-old case. More recently, in 2024, Kenneth Kundert was apprehended for the 1980 murder of Dorothy Silzel, a Boeing instructor. DNA evidence linked Kundert to Silzel’s murder, offering yet another example of how law enforcement is leveraging cutting-edge forensic technology to solve previously unsolvable cases. These high-profile arrests have brought increased attention to Tacoma’s ongoing cold case investigations, sparking public speculation about the ongoing case in the Oakland neighborhood.
The Oakland neighborhood is located just a short distance from where Teekah Lewis was last seen. This proximity has led some to wonder whether the current excavation efforts might be related to her disappearance, which has remained a mystery for over two decades. While authorities have not confirmed any link between the two, the renewed activity in the area has certainly reignited public interest in the case.
In the early hours of January 23, 1999, Teekah Lewis was abducted from the front of a Tacoma bowling alley while her family was enjoying an evening out. Despite numerous tips, and ongoing investigations, Teekah has never been found, and no arrests have been made in connection to her case. The investigation into Teekah’s disappearance remains one of Tacoma’s most well-known unsolved cases, and recent events have caused some to wonder if new forensic technologies or investigative techniques could finally bring answers.
The investigation into the cold case in Tacoma’s Oakland neighborhood is ongoing, and details about the nature of the case and its potential connection to Teekah Lewis’s disappearance remain unclear. However, with the advancements in DNA analysis and cold case solving methods used in past high-profile cases in the region, there is hope that this case could also see a resolution. As police continue their work in the neighborhood, the public is left to wait for more information to emerge.
The discovery of new leads in Tacoma’s cold cases has contributed to renewed public interest in unsolved crimes, and many are now watching closely to see how this latest investigation unfolds. While the authorities have not confirmed any details, Tacoma residents and those familiar with the Teekah Lewis case are hopeful that this investigation could bring new answers to long-standing mysteries. The case serves as a reminder of how advancements in forensic science are reshaping the landscape of criminal investigations and bringing justice to families affected by unsolved crimes.
