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
🚗
vehicle
Lead #1Neon pink Huffy mountain bike with yellow control cables and sidewalls—distinctive enough to be easily recognized; has this bike ever been recovered or reported?
📍
location
Lead #2Why was Highway 47 in Valencia County chosen for her routine ride, and were there any isolated stretches or known hazards along her regular 36-mile route?
⏰
timeline
Lead #3The 2-hour gap between departure (9:30 a.m.) and last sighting (11:45 a.m.) covers significant distance; what specific segment of Highway 47 was she on, and were there any witnesses to her movements?
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, her fate remains unknown and no credible leads have resolved the case in over three decades. Anyone with information about her disappearance or whereabouts is urged to contact the 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.
🔍
evidence
Lead #4Calico wore distinctive jewelry (gold butterfly ring with diamond, gold amethyst ring, half-inch gold hoop earrings) and a bank-branded t-shirt; have any of these items ever surfaced?
👁️
witness
Lead #5As a routine rider on this route, did Calico have regular patterns or encounters that might have made her predictable to someone with harmful intent?
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
09:30Left home for bike ride
Tara Leigh Calico departed her home on Brugg Street in Belen, New Mexico, to begin her routine 36-mile bike ride on her mother's neon pink Huffy mountain bike.
👁️
1988-09-20
11:45Last sighting on Highway 47
Calico was last seen riding along Highway 47 in Valencia County, approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes after departing her home. She was never seen again.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:September 20, 1988 at 9:30 AM
Last Updated:May 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:May 10, 2026
Up to $20,000 Reward
For information leading to the resolution of this case