Left: Tracy circa, 1983
Right: Age Progressed to age 48
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: March 7, 1983
Missing From: Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: July 7, 1968
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 5’0″ and 95 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Female, Blonde hair, Blue eyes, Tracy’s ears are pierced, Tracy may have been pregnant at the time of her 1983 disappearance but this has not been confirmed
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A shirt and a pair of jeans
NCMEC Number: 600609
Details of Disappearance
Tracy was last seen in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania on March 7th 1983. Her mothers live in boyfriend, Paul W. Greenwald, dropped her off at Bensalem High School during the morning. Tracy was suspended from school at the time and she would only be able to return if her mother met with the school’s principal. She kept this a secret from her family, however.
After being dropped off, Tracy attempted to get her friends to skip school with her, they refused to do so. Tracy disappeared soon afterwards and was never seen or heard from again. Tracy was initially considered a runaway and there were possible sightings of her in the local area days later. None of them were ever substantiated and police don’t believe it was Tracy seen.
Tracy had left home only one time before her disappearance. She left her residence after having an argument with her mother and only stayed away for one night. Prior to her disappearance in 1983, Tracy told a friend she was possibly pregnant. It’s unknown if this is true and who the father might be. Tracy had dated two boys according to her friend.
Seven months after Tracy vanished, her mother Jean Louise Byrd vanished. She was last seen on October 18th 1983 in her sons apartment complex in Bensalem Township. Her body was found 11 days later in Blackbird State Forest in New Castle County, Delaware. Jean has stopped seeing Greenwald before her disappearance and death.
The relationship between the two was troubled. In 1980, he abducted her at knifepoint. In 1984, he was charged with first degree murder in Jeans death. He confessed to her killing and was found guilty of manslaughter. Greenwald took his own life in March of 1986 before being sentenced. He was found dead in his prison cell and had apparently overdosed on some medication.
Authorities had long suspected that Greenwald was involved in Tracy’s disappearance as he was one of the last people to see her alive before she disappeared. He was never positively linked to her case and is no longer believed to be involved. In fact, authorities believe that a man from Bucks County, Pennsylvania was possibly involved in the case. He has not been publicly identified.
Authorities do not believe that Tracy left on her own accord. She was close to her mother and would’ve returned home for her mother’s funeral if she was able to. She was a 9th grade student in 1983. Tracy’s case remains unsolved and foul play is suspected.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Bensalem Township Police Department 215-639-3700
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children