Neighbors on a quiet Berkeley block watched Tuesday as police crews turned a backyard into an active dig site, chasing a new lead in the 2008 disappearance of 16-year-old Shemika Cosey. Officers say a cadaver dog picked up the possible scent of human remains on the property, prompting a careful excavation as detectives revisit one of the city’s most haunting cold cases. It is the most public step investigators have taken since officials reopened the case earlier this year.
Dig centered on Jefferson Avenue yard
The search is focused on a home in the 6100 block of Jefferson Avenue, just south of Airport Road, where police say they received a tip that Cosey may have been buried. After a cadaver dog alerted to the area, investigators began methodically removing soil, using shovels and screens to preserve any potential evidence, according to Fox 2. Officers told the station the slow pace is intentional as they work the new lead.
Who went missing
Shemika Keyanta Cosey was 16 years old when she vanished from a relative’s home in Berkeley in late December 2008, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Records show she was last seen at a cousin’s house in the 6000 block of Napier. Her family has long said they were told at the time that the teenager was considered a runaway.
Case reopened and detectives following new leads
Earlier this year, Berkeley officials formally reopened Cosey’s case, saying they are revisiting old leads with fresh tools and additional resources. Berkeley Police Major Steve Runge told First Alert 4, “I’ve reopened the case,” and said detectives are now able to use investigative methods that were not available in 2008, according to First Alert 4.
Broader context and why the search matters
Advocates and researchers have long argued that cases involving missing Black women often languish with less public and institutional attention. In response to those concerns, Missouri lawmakers moved last year to form a task force to examine the issue. The Missouri Senate’s 2025 docket lists SB 40, which “Creates the 'Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force,'” as part of that broader effort. Local advocates told First Alert 4 the measure is a step toward elevating cold cases like Cosey’s. “The lack of regard for missing Black women and girls is embedded in society,” a criminology expert told the station.
How to share tips
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Berkeley Police Department at its non-emergency number, (314) 524-3311, or the department’s anonymous tip line at (314) 400-3847, according to the City of Berkeley. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also operates a 24-hour tip line at 1-800-843-5678.
