Right 2: Age-progressed by NCMEC to age 21 years; 28 years
Right 2: Age-progressed by NCMEC to age 21 years; 28 years
Name: Karen Rosalba Grajeda
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 11, 1996
Location Last Seen: Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
Date of Birth: October 15, 1988
Age: 7 years old
Race: White/Hispanic
Gender: Female
Height: 3'5" - 3'9"
Weight: 50 - 55 lbs.
Hair Color: Black/brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Medium complexion. Pierced ears. She speaks Spanish and English.
Dentals: Available. Right front tooth is larger than other teeth. She was missing several baby teeth.
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: Faded purple t-shirt with white lettering on the front; a pair of floral pastel colored shorts and Guess shoes.
Jewelry: Gold chain with a pendant on it; two gold rings, one with the initial K, and the other with a red stone.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Karen Grajeda was last seen playing outside of her apartment complex on West Valencia Street in Tucson, Arizona on January 11, 1996.
That area of Tuscon is in the predominantly Hispanic south side of Tucson.
Karen's mother spoke no English, and her father was in Guaymas, Mexico. After coming home from Elvira Elementary she spent the afternoon cleaning her room and playing Nintendo. She then went out roller skating with her sister and her friends in the courtyard of the apartment. At about 18.00, Karen brought her skates home and then went out to play again. Her mother called her for dinner at 18.30. Karen didn't answer. Her mother then went out to the courtyard to look for her.
She was gone. None of the other children still playing in the courtyard had seen anything. There were no signs of a struggle, no one had heard a scream or seen a stranger in the area.
Karen's mother called the police. Later, police and scores of volunteers combed the area and Karen's family held vigils, praying for her return home. Detectives questioned known child molesters and pedophiles in the area, and found no leads.
Police traveled to Mexico to interview Karen's father and quickly cleared him.
There were three other little girls from the South side of Tuscon who'd been abducted and molested between July 1993 and May 1994. In these earlier abductions the perpetrator had allowed the girls to escape, and they subsequently described the man to police. But, on December 14, 1999 another little Hispanic girl from the South side, six year old Esther Galaz, was kidnapped. A day after Esther was abducted, her body was found in a drainage ditch near her home.
The FBI believes these four abductions to be related to Karen's disappearance. They continue to investigate cases of serial rape and murder of little Hispanic girls in the Southwestern United States.
The suspect, Hispanic, 35-40 years old, 5 foot 8, 170 lbs.
Agency Name: Tucson Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Kevin Hall, Captain
Agency Phone Number: (520) 791-4444
Agency E-Mail: TPDInfo@tucsonaz.gov
Agency Case Number: 601110569
NamUs Case Number: 4406
NCIC Case Number: M-895818848
NCMEC Case Number: NCMC813211
NamUs
NCMEC
Arizona Daily Star - Apr. 28, 2010
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 02/12/2024 - By: kc
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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