Nashville police and FBI push to solve case of missing grandmother Wanda Faye Walker
Nashville police and the FBI announced a new partnership, along with a new reward, in a push to find out what happened to a missing Nashville grandmother. The announcement was made five years to the day she was last seen, according to CBS affiliate WTVT.
Wanda Faye Walker, then 60 years old, disappeared October 5, 2016. Investigators say she may have been the victim of foul play.
"I believe Wanda Faye Walker was likely killed," Detective Matt Filter said at the conference Tuesday.
Law enforcement renewed their call for tips and information in the disappearance, alongside family members in attendance.
"We definitely miss having her around. Her smile, her laugh," Walker's granddaughter, Quantesa Chambers, said at the conference Tuesday. "If you or anyone out there know or have any information regarding … what happened to my grandmother … we would love for you guys to share that information with us."
Officials say Walker maintained regular contact with her family — so when she didn't show up to work that day, it was unusual. Her family reported her missing three days later.
Less than a week later, her car was found abandoned in an alleyway — approximately four blocks away from the apartment she shared with her cousin. Investigators say the car was locked with some of her personal belongings still inside.
There was also evidence of a struggle, investigators said.
"There was a significant amount of blood inside the car," said Filter. "This blood was later determined to belong to Wanda Faye Walker."
The FBI pledged an additional $10,000 to a previously announced $1,000 reward, making the reward for information leading to an arrest up to $11,000.
"We're definitely praying for closure," said Chambers. "We're definitely praying that we don't go another year without knowing what happened to my grandmother."
This isn't the first time a member of their family has gone missing. Walker's daughter, Laresha Walker, disappeared in 1999.
Laresha Walker, who also went by the name Deana, was last seen on November 19, 1999 — when she said she was going to Murfreesboro to get her car appraised, according to WTVT. She was never seen again.
"It was like, something's not right," her sister, Lakesha Chambers, said in a 2019 interview. "I just hope and pray we find closure, some kind of way."
