An isolated patch of woods on Joint Base Lewis–McChord has finally given a Tacoma family the answer they have been chasing for more than four years. Human remains recovered there in January have been identified as 21-year-old Aidan Spear, a Tacoma woman who disappeared in January 2022.
The identification, confirmed to her family this week, closes a long and agonizing chapter for loved ones who refused to stop searching. Investigators said the remains were found in a wooded section of the base that is open to the public.
According to The News Tribune, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that the remains discovered in January were later confirmed through forensic testing to be Spear. The office has not released information about the cause or manner of death, and detectives say the case is still very much active.
About Aidan Spear
Spear was last seen on Jan. 24, 2022, on the day she was supposed to meet her mother to enter treatment, according to family accounts and case history. The Washington State Patrol lists her as missing from Tacoma and directs anyone with information to the Pierce County Sheriff’s tip line.
Nonprofit groups and advocates, including Season of Justice, worked with Spear’s family to keep her case in public view, backing outreach efforts while investigators chased leads that often went nowhere. Her relatives have said they trace their roots to the Colville and Coeur d’Alene tribes.
Why It Matters
Pierce County maintains a Missing & Murdered Indigenous People resource page and notes that Washington has the second-highest number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the country. Against that backdrop, Spear’s disappearance struck a nerve across the region.
Community advocates say cases like hers underscore long-standing gaps in resources, coordination, and attention for Indigenous victims and their families. Local leaders say that now that Spear has been identified, the pressure will only grow for clear answers about what happened and for stronger systems to prevent similar cases from stalling.
How To Help
Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact Pierce County investigators at 253-798-7530 or to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers. The Pierce County tip line remains listed on official missing-person materials tied to Spear’s case.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is treating the case as an active investigation while forensic work and follow-up interviews continue. Family members and supporters are planning memorials and community outreach as they absorb the news and have urged anyone who knows anything about Spear’s disappearance to come forward. Authorities say more details will be released as the investigation allows.
