Left: West, circa 1991; Right: Age-progression at age 31 (circa 2010)
Left: West, circa 1991; Right: Age-progression at age 31 (circa 2010)
Name: Rebecca Elizabeth West
Case Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Missing Since: October 21, 1991
Location Last Seen: Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Date of Birth: September 17, 1979
Age: 12 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 4'7
Weight: 95 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown/dark blonde
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
Dentals: X-rays Available
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
West was last seen at a service station in Spokane, Washington on October 21, 1991. She was accompanied by her friend, Iryll Wood (nicknamed "Nicki"), at the time.
Neither of the girls returned to their homes during the evening.
Searchers discovered Wood's body under a pile of burning pine needles shortly after their disappearances were reported to authorities. Wood had been strangled to death. Her remains were located in the Seven Mile area north of Spokane. There was no evidence of West's whereabouts at the scene.
Michael W. Tarbert resided in a cabin near the location of Wood's body in 1991. He was charged with both of the girls' murders in March 1996. He entered a guilty plea in May 1998, shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin.
Tarbert was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the girls' homicides. Her confessed murderer Michael W. Tarbert was released from the Washington State Penitentiary on August 20, 2022 and died on November 26, 2022 without ever revealing where he left her body.
Agency Name: Spokane County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 509-456-4760
Agency E-Mail: Sheriff@SpokaneCounty.org
Agency Case Number: 91-83103
NCIC Case Number: M-250753228
NCMEC Case Number: NCMC760741
NamUs Case Number: 6795
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
KXLY.com
NamUs
The Spokesman-Review
Washington State Missing Persons
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 12-9-2023 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
Return Home