Left: Tracy circa, 1973
Right: Age Progressed to age 53
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: April 27, 1973
Missing From: San Rafael, Marin County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: March 19, 1967
Age: 6 years old
Height and Weight: 4’6″ and 60 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African American Female, Black hair, Brown eyes, Tracy has burn scars on her lower abdomen and on her hip and her hair was braided into shirt pigtails
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A black/blue ankle length flowered Hawaiian styled dress
NCMEC Number: 955543
Details of Disappearance
Tracy was last seen in San Rafael, California on April 27th 1973. She reportedly left her home located in the Bermuda Palms Motel in the 700 block of San Francisco Boulevard. She left at 11:00 am and was heading for school. Tracy never arrived to school for her classes and was never seen or heard from again.
Tracy’s family realized she was missing when she didn’t return home from school that evening. They reported her as missing the next day to the police. More than 50 police officers and scout explorers searched the area and others for her with no result. Investigators are unsure if Tracy’s disappearance was a kidnapping or something else.
A few weeks after Tracy went missing, a woman reported that she observed a dark colored vehicle following the child as she walked to school on Canal Street. The woman stated she saw the car and Tracy as she returned home from shopping. She said she didn’t see the car or Tracy pass her house after that.
The car was described as being black or dark green. It was possibly a Sedan or a Rambler and the driver of the car was described as an African American man with black bushy hair and a pointed beard. The man was allegedly accompanied by several other men who were all described as being African American.
The woman doesn’t know if the men kidnapped Tracy and felt she would’ve heard the child scream if she was forced into the vehicle. Tracy’s parents were asked if they knew the men in the car to which they said they didn’t. The car was never located and the men remain unidentified.
Despite the witness account, police have no suspects in Tracy’s disappearance. There was once a false report that Tracy had been found safely but this is not true and she remains missing. There was a consistent rumor that her body was buried in a crawl space surrounding the pool area of the motel she lived in.
Investigators searched the space but found no trace of Tracy’s remains in 2009. They were finally able to put that rumor to rest. At the time of her disappearance, Tracy lived in room 49 at the Motel which was located on 737 E. Francisco Boulevard. She was living with her grandmother and other family members at the time since her parents were separated. Tracy was kindergarten student at Bahia Vista School in 1973.
Tracy’s disappearance remains unsolved. She is missing under suspicious circumstances.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
San Rafael Police Department 415-485-3000
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
California Department of Justice
Daily Independent Journal 05/18/1973
Daily Independent Journal 05/05/1973
Daily Independent Journal 05/01/1973