Tacoma cold case investigation yields no new evidence in Teekah Lewis case

Tacoma police cold case Wednesday update

Tacoma police say they did not find any evidence after following up on a cold case tip that many speculated could be linked to the Teekah Lewis missing person case.

TACOMA, Wash. - A three-day cold case investigation at a home on South Gunnison Street concluded Tuesday with no evidence recovered, according to Tacoma Police Department Public Information Officer Shelbie Boyd. The search was related to the Teekah Lewis missing person case, which dates back to 1999.

"So today, day three, being out on South Gunnison, we've closed up and we are out of the area," Boyd said. "Unfortunately, we did not find anything of evidentiary value related to this case."

2-year-old Teekah Lewis disappeared fom a Tacoma bowling alley on Jan. 23, 1999. On Dec. 1, 2022, detectives released an updated age progression photo of her (right). (Tacoma Police Department)

The search, which involved investigators digging in the backyard of the residence, was initiated based on a tip. While speculation online and the presence of Lewis' family at the scene linked the activity to the 1999 disappearance of 2-year-old Teekah Lewis, police had not officially confirmed the specific case until Wednesday. Teekah Lewis disappeared from a bowling alley less than a mile from the search location.

Boyd confirmed that despite the visible removal of items in evidence bags on the first day, and the use of specialized personnel like anthropologists and geologists to assist in identifying materials, nothing of evidentiary value was found for any of the 147 cold cases or 20 missing persons cases the department investigates.

"So, you know, when we remove things from a scene that maybe we have a question about, we have other experts that will help us identify things, and so that's what you saw," Boyd explained. "There are anthropologists, geologists that we consult just to make sure that what we're sifting through, we know what it is."

The tip that led police to the South Gunnison address was described by Boyd as having "several legs," with this particular lead now exhausted. She did not provide specifics on the nature of the tip or its source, citing ongoing investigative efforts.

"I can't give you exactly the information that we received or where it came from at this point because there are still other things that we need to look into," Boyd said. "But the leg that led us here to South Gunnison for now is finished."

Boyd acknowledged the difficulty of the outcome for families seeking closure. Lewis' family had reportedly camped out at the scene overnight.

"Yeah, it's difficult, not just this case, but for all of the families," Boyd said. "We had a family show up here that is not even a Tacoma Missing Persons cold case. And it's hard, I'm a mom."

Cold case investigation continues in Tacoma, WA

A cold case investigation in Tacoma that started Monday continues.

Boyd addressed rumors circulating online, including one suggesting the tip stemmed from a "deathbed admission." "I don't know that, no," she stated.

Detectives, despite the disappointing outcome, are moving on to other caseloads and interviews, Boyd said.

"Any information that we get when it turns out to not be what we would hoped, which is resolution to a case, it's difficult," she said. "But detectives were leaving here because they have another caseload. They have other interviews that they're literally heading to now."

Boyd expressed gratitude to the neighborhood residents for their understanding and cooperation during the three-day search.

"The neighborhood's been amazing," she said. "The house that we were looking into amazing to let us come in and kind of disrupt life for this amount of time. We appreciate it and, you know, like we always say, if you have information about any of these crimes, any cases. Please reach out and let us know."

The Tacoma Police Department continues to investigate all tips related to its cold cases and missing persons. Information can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Pierce County via their website at tpcrimestoppers.com, by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by using the P3 Tips App on a smartphone. A reward of up to $1,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest and charges filed in a case.

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