Police continue to seek information
The Puyallup Police Department is asking for information about Misty Copsey, who disappeared after attending the Washington State Fair in 1992. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at 253-770-3343 or [email protected], according to a department case update reported by KIRO 7 News Seattle.
The disappearance
Copsey was 14 on Sept. 17, 1992, when she went to the fair in Puyallup. She left the fairgrounds with a friend at about 8:30 p.m. and was expected to take an 8:40 p.m. bus to Spanaway. After missing the bus, she called her mother and said she would try to get a ride with a friend. She was not heard from again that night, and police initially classified her as a runaway. The News Tribune reported the chronology, while KIRO 7 identified the bus route and scheduled departure.
More than three decades later, the case remains unresolved. KIRO 7 reported that no remains or other physical evidence have been found.
How missing-person reports work today
For current cases, the Washington State Patrol says there is no waiting period to report a missing person and advises people to call 911 immediately. The agency also says local law enforcement must be notified before its Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit can become involved.
A series is examining the case
Investigation Discovery released an eight-episode series, “Who Took Misty Copsey?,” hosted by cold-case investigator Sarah Cailean. The News Tribune reported that the series includes interviews with Copsey’s family and friends, police records, anonymous tips and earlier media coverage; Cailean said she hoped to provide information developed through the project to Puyallup police. The News Tribune reported those details.
