Misty Copsey was 14 when she disappeared after the Puyallup Fair on the evening of September 17, 1992. She missed her 8:40 p.m. bus to nearby Spanaway, called her mother and mentioned a possible ride from an 18-year-old friend; her mother told her to find another way home and to call back, but that second call never came. A bus driver saw a distressed girl matching Misty’s description about 9:20 p.m.; he told her the last Spanaway bus had left and suggested taking a bus to Tacoma to transfer, but she walked away and was never seen again.

Weeks later, investigators found some of Misty’s clothing in a ditch near Highway 410 and, about half a mile away, her hair pick and toothbrush — items she kept in her purse. No blood or DNA was recovered from those items at the time. The case was initially treated as a runaway, which delayed a full investigation; police later pursued leads, including a 2009 review with new polygraphs of original persons of interest. No remains have been found, and the case remains unsolved.

Anyone who was at the Puyallup Fair on September 17, 1992, or who may have information about Misty’s movements that night is asked to come forward.