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 distinctive neon pink Huffy mountain bike with yellow control cables and sidewalls that Tara was riding?
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location
Lead #2Why was Tara's routine 36-mile bike route along Highway 47 never fully searched or accounted for?
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evidence
Lead #3Were there any witnesses on Highway 47 between 11:45 a.m. and when she failed to return home?
Tara Leigh Calico, a 19-year-old from Belen, New Mexico, disappeared on September 20, 1988, while on a routine 36-mile bike ride along Highway 47. She left home at 9:30 a.m. and was last seen at approximately 11:45 a.m. riding a distinctive neon pink Huffy mountain bike, but was never found. Despite decades of investigation, her fate remains unknown, and the FBI continues to seek information about her disappearance or the circumstances surrounding it.
Case
#266
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Albuquerque Field Office
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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.
💡
clue
Lead #4The jewelry Tara wore (gold butterfly ring with diamond, gold amethyst ring, and hoop earrings) could help identify remains if discovered.
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
👤
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.
👁️
1988-09-20
11:45Last sighting
Calico was last seen riding along Highway 47 in Valencia County on a neon pink Huffy mountain bike, wearing a white t-shirt with '1st National Bank of Belen' on it, white shorts with green stripes, and white and turquoise Avia tennis shoes.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:September 20, 1988 at 9:30 AM
Last Updated:September 10, 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:September 10, 2026
Up to $20,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case