The person at the center of this case
Tara Leigh Calico
Missing Person · Open
37 years waiting · since 1988
TARA LEIGH CALICO
Justice for Tara Leigh Calico — the trail went cold in 1988, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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vehicle
Lead #1What happened to the neon pink Huffy mountain bike with yellow control cables and sidewalls? Has it ever been recovered or sighted?
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location
Lead #2Why was Tara's routine 36-mile bike route along Highway 47 never completed, and were there any unusual vehicles or persons reported in the area that morning?
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evidence
Lead #3The distinctive jewelry Tara wore—gold butterfly ring with diamond insert, gold amethyst ring, and half-inch gold hoop earrings—has never surfaced; could these items provide a breakthrough if located?
Tara Leigh Calico, 19, disappeared on September 20, 1988, while on a routine 36-mile bike ride near Belen, New Mexico—last seen at 11:45 a.m. riding a neon pink Huffy mountain bike along Highway 47 in Valencia County. Despite extensive investigation and a $20,000 FBI reward, no trace of Tara or her bicycle has been found, leaving her fate unknown after more than three decades. Anyone with information about her disappearance or sightings is urged to contact the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, as this case remains one of New Mexico's most compelling unsolved mysteries.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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witness
Lead #4Were there any witnesses to Tara's movements between 11:45 a.m. and the time her disappearance was reported? Who discovered she was missing and when?
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clue
Lead #5Given the remote Valencia County location and daily routine, did anyone have prior knowledge of Tara's bike schedule, and could this have been a targeted abduction?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
September 20, 1988 Belen, New Mexico Tara Leigh Calico left her home on Brugg Street in Belen, New Mexico, to go on a bike ride at 9:30 a.m. on September 20, 1988.
She rode her mother's bicycle as her own was damaged. She was last seen riding along Highway 47 in Valencia County at approximately 11:45 a.m.
Calico biked this route daily during her routine 36-mile ride. She was 19 years old at the time of her disappearance, and was never seen again.
Remarks: Calico was last seen riding a neon pink Huffy mountain bike with yellow control cables and sidewalls. She was wearing a white t-shirt with '1st National Bank of Belen' on it (size medium), white shorts with green stripes, white ankle socks, and white and turquoise Avia tennis shoes.
Calico was also wearing a gold butterfly ring with a diamond insert, a gold amethyst ring, and half-inch gold hoop earrings.
Timeline of Events
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1988-09-20
09:30Departure from home
Tara Leigh Calico left her home on Brugg Street in Belen, New Mexico to go on a bike ride, riding her mother's bicycle as her own was damaged.
👁️
1988-09-20
11:45Last sighting
Calico was last seen riding a neon pink Huffy mountain bike with yellow control cables along Highway 47 in Valencia County, approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes after departure.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:September 20, 1988 at 9:30 AM
Last Updated:July 24, 2026
Up to $20,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case
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Case Information
Incident:September 20, 1988 at 9:30 AM
Last Updated:July 24, 2026
Up to $20,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case