The Polaroid

In this episode, we dive deep into the unsettling case of Tara Calico, who disappeared on September 20, 1988, while cycling near her home in Belen, New Mexico. We’ll explore the last moments of her life, the frantic search that followed, and the community's relentless efforts to find her.

Join us as we unpack the theories and leads that have surfaced over the decades, the impact of Tara's case on the community, and the ongoing quest for closure. This episode is not just about a disappearance; it’s a poignant reminder of the lives affected and the enduring mystery that still captivates true crime enthusiasts today.

Transcript

Intro: "Welcome to Murder By Nature, where the darkness of true crime, unsolved disappearances, and chilling mysteries come to life. I’m your host, Jazmin Ramirez, and if you’re brave enough to join us, prepare for a journey into the unknown.

Start: 

I want to begin by thanking each and every one of you for sticking with us through the long silence. It’s been a year and a half since we last spoke, but despite our absence, you’ve kept the shadows alive by tuning in, and for that, I am beyond grateful.

During this time away, life took some unexpected turns—I got married, welcomed a baby into this world, and yet, the darkness still calls to me. And now, I’m back. Ready to return to our weekly journey into the unknown, to bring this community back to life in a time that feels darker than ever.

If you have a story that needs to be told, a mystery that haunts you, don’t hesitate to send us an email. Your stories are as much a part of this show as the ones we share.

Now, with all of that, let’s step into the shadows together… and dive into tonight’s case.

References: 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Tara_Calico
• Reddit
• https://www.news-bulletin.com/news/35-years-later-tara-calico-disappearance/article_40c128eb-b548-59e0-8783-2a5f54b7c4f9.html
• https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Tara_Calico
• https://vocal.media/criminal/mystery-still-surrounds-the-disappearance-of-tara-calico-an-unsolved-case-23-years-later
• https://charleyproject.org/case/tara-leigh-calico

Tara Calico was born on February 28, 1969, in Belen, New Mexico, to David Calico and Patty Doel. From an early age, she displayed a strong sense of independence and a deep commitment to achieving her goals. Growing up in Belen, Tara’s life was shaped by the close-knit community around her, as well as by her loving and supportive family. Her mother, Patty, was a constant source of encouragement, and her father, David, played an important role in shaping Tara’s strong work ethic and determination. Together, they provided her with the foundation to pursue her dreams and develop into the driven, responsible young woman she would become. Tara was the type of person who never let a moment slip by unnoticed. She was known for her relentless drive, efficiency, and fierce independence. Friends and family often described her as someone who thrived on structure and purpose, meticulously planning every detail of her day. Whether it was creating detailed to-do lists, plotting out her study schedule, or setting aside time for her hobbies, everything in Tara’s life had a place. Her disciplined approach to life wasn’t just about getting things done—it was about achieving with intention. Her routine was not just a means of staying organized, but a way for her to feel grounded and purposeful in everything she did.

A sophomore at the University of New Mexico, Tara was determined to build a bright future. She was driven by a deep passion for understanding the human mind and helping others, which led her to pursue a career in psychiatry or psychology. With a near-perfect grade point average, Tara was already on track to achieve her dreams. She was particularly fascinated by the complexities of human behavior and the potential to bring meaningful change to the lives of those who struggled with mental health challenges. Her academic excellence and thirst for knowledge were only matched by her work ethic. In addition to her studies, Tara also held a part-time job at a local bank, balancing her responsibilities with the kind of grace and focus that earned her admiration from those around her.

But Tara’s determination wasn’t limited to her academics or her professional aspirations. Her sense of responsibility and dedication extended to her relationships as well. Having recently graduated from Belen High School, she had left a lasting impression on her classmates and teachers. She was well-liked for her kindness, her ability to connect with others, and her steady presence as a reliable friend and family member. Tara had a rare ability to juggle her social life with her academic and work commitments, always making time for those who mattered most to her. She valued close relationships and worked hard to nurture them, ensuring she stayed in touch with her friends and family despite her busy schedule.

At home, Tara lived with her mother, Patty Doel, and stepfather, John Doel. Her relationship with Patty was especially strong, and the two of them shared a special bond. Tara and her mother were inseparable in many ways, often enjoying quiet morning bike rides together. It was a time for the two of them to catch up, share thoughts, and enjoy the simple pleasure of each other’s company. However, their routine changed when Patty stopped joining Tara on her morning rides, Patty started to become increasingly concerned about the speed of cars on Highway 47 and didnt feel safe to continue on this trail. While this shift in their routine was a small one, it reflected the growing sense of unease that had begun to permeate their community as the roads became busier and more dangerous. Despite this, Tara’s focus and energy never wavered—she simply adjusted and found new ways to continue doing the things she loved, all while maintaining the balance she had worked so hard to create in her life.

Tara’s ability to stay organized and committed to her goals made her stand out in every aspect of her life, but it was her heart, dedication, and unshakable drive that truly defined her. Whether she was pursuing academic excellence, helping others, or nurturing the relationships closest to her, Tara lived her life with intention, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

On the morning of September 20, 1988, Tara had made it clear to Patty: ‘If I’m not back by noon, come find me.’ That one comment, so seemingly casual at the time, would haunt her mother for years to come.

Tara left the house around 9:30 AM, dressed in a white T-shirt with "First National Bank of Belen" printed on it, white shorts with green stripes, and white sneakers. Her pink Huffy bike, with its distinctive yellow control cables and sidewalls, stood out against the black asphalt of the highway, a familiar sight to the drivers who frequently passed by. The road, New Mexico State Road 47, was a popular route for cyclists and joggers, and Tara had ridden it countless times before, so there was nothing unusual about her outing. It was just another typical morning for her.

She had plans to meet her boyfriend for a tennis match at 12:30 p.m., and as she prepared to leave, she joked with her mother, Patty Doel, saying that if she got a flat tire and didn’t return by noon, Patty should come look for her. Tara had left her tennis clothes and school books on her bed, as she had a 3:30 p.m. class to attend after the match. She confidently set out, knowing she would be back in time for her match and the rest of her afternoon. Her ride was a 36-mile round trip along the highway, a route she had come to know intimately over the years. Tara’s bike, had become a familiar presence on the road, its bright color and distinctive features easily recognizable to locals. Tara, with her headphones on and a cassette tape of the band Boston playing on her Sony Walkman, was enjoying the music as she pedaled along, lost in the rhythm of her ride.

When the clock struck noon, and Tara still had not returned, Patty’s concern began to grow. Tara was always punctual, and the silence that followed was unsettling. It was unlike her not to return as planned. Worried, Patty set out to retrace her daughter’s route along the highway, driving northbound on State Road 47, calling out Tara’s name as she went. She searched the familiar desert ranchland, hoping to spot her daughter or her bright pink bike. But with each passing minute, her fear deepened, and she found no trace of Tara. By now, it was clear something wasn’t right—Tara had always been prompt, and Patty couldn’t shake the growing feeling that something terrible had happened. Panic set in as the minutes stretched into hours, and the realization began to hit that Tara had not simply been delayed—she was missing. Patty returned home, her heart heavy with dread, and immediately contacted the County Sheriff’s Department to file a missing person report. As Patty contacted the authorities and the search for Tara began, the tension at home was growing. Tara’s younger sister, Michele Doel, was only a sophomore in high school at the time, and the day quickly became one she would never forget. “I remember one of my sister’s best friends and her boyfriend came to get me from school,” Michele later recalled in a 2006 interview with the News-Bulletin. “They picked me up, and when we got home, there was a bunch of cops.” Michele was immediately struck by the scene that greeted her: the house was filled with law enforcement officers, as well as friends, family, and community members. It was chaos—everyone was there to help, but the unsettling reality of Tara’s disappearance had already set in. The home that had been filled with the comfort of routine now buzzed with confusion, fear, and a desperate hope for Tara’s safe return. The weight of the situation became all too real for Michele as she tried to make sense of the overwhelming presence of authorities and the growing uncertainty that gripped their family.

As the investigation unfolded, a few witnesses recalled seeing Tara riding along the road. In a twist that deepened the mystery, police discovered fragments of Tara's Sony Walkman and a cassette tape. Patty, Tara’s mother, became convinced that these items were deliberately broken and dropped by Tara as a way to leave a trail behind her. This theory gained traction when part of the Walkman was found nineteen miles east of Highway 47, near the remote John F. Kennedy campground. Tara's stepfather, John Doel, speculated that she had intentionally left these items to mark her path. Near the cassette tape, investigators also found bike tracks and marks that appeared to resemble a struggle, raising more questions than answers. As investigators began to explore the possibility of foul play, they turned their attention to Tara's home life. They questioned her parents, John and Patty, wondering if their daughter had been unhappy or had expressed a desire to run away. This theory, however, was met with strong denial from Tara's family, who described her as a bright and cheerful young woman. “There was just so much she wanted to fit into a day. She was like a little machine. It was amazing,” John Doel expressed, his voice filled with heartache.  For weeks, investigators scoured the area, with local and state police, alongside hundreds of volunteers, searching on foot, horseback, four-wheelers, and even planes. The only tangible evidence of Tara's presence were those broken pieces of her Walkman and the marks on the ground. Despite no one witnessing an abduction, seven people later reported seeing Tara riding back toward home around 11:45 AM, her headphones on. Multiple witnesses recalled an older-model pickup truck following her closely, thought to be towing a shell camper possibly a 1953 Ford with a camper shell—but, frustratingly, the truck and its driver were never found.  In the nine months following Tara's disappearance, this was the only significant information that investigators could uncover.

In the summer of the following year, with Tara still missing and hope fading, an unsettling turn of events was about to thrust her case back into the chilling spotlight. On June 15, a woman in Port St. Joe, Florida, made a routine trip to her local convenience store when she stumbled upon a gruesome Polaroid photo lying in the parking lot. The image was of a young woman and a boy bound and gagged in the back of a van, their mouths sealed with duct tape—a horrifying scene that sent chills down her spine. Immediately recognizing the gravity of the situation, the woman contacted the police and described the circumstances surrounding the photo's discovery. She recalled that a white, windowless Toyota cargo van had been parked nearby when she entered the store, driven by a man with a mustache who appeared to be in his 30s. In response, law enforcement set up roadblocks in hopes of intercepting the mysterious vehicle, but despite their best efforts, the man and his van were never located. The haunting nature of the photograph, coupled with its unsettling discovery, prompted Polaroid officials to confirm that the picture had to have been taken after May 1989, as the specific type of film used was newly available, suggesting a recent abduction. 

Witnesses began to come forward, claiming that a girl resembling the one in the photo had been seen walking along the beach in Port St. Joe shortly before the Polaroid was discovered. These witnesses reported that she was accompanied by several unidentified adult Caucasian males, who appeared to be giving her verbal orders, casting an ominous shadow over the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Valencia sheriff's officials first learned of the color Polaroid on July 28, 1989, when Calico's stepfather, John, called to report it. John said a friend of his had seen it on A Current Affair after the image surfaced in Port St. Joe on Florida's panhandle, some 1,500 miles away. Police reports show it was found a month earlier, on June 15, 1989. Tara’s family quickly came forward, saying the girl resembled their missing daughter. Another New Mexico family felt the same about the young boy, expressing they believed it was their missing son, 9-year-old Michael Henley, Michael reportedly disappeared in April 1988 while hunting with his father and vanished from the same area of New Mexico as Tara. His mother identified the boy in the photograph as her son, but tragically, Henley’s remains were later found in 1990. The FBI examined the photo but could not definitively determine whether the girl was Tara. Forensic analysis noted that the girl's hairline and ear were similar to Tara’s, and she bore a scar on her calf akin to one tara obtained from a car accident injury. 

The true nature of the photograph—whether it was staged or if the children were genuinely being held against their will remained a mystery. As the investigation continued, two additional similar photographs surfaced over the years. One, taken with film that was only available starting in June 1989, was found near a residential construction site in Montecito, California. It depicted a girl's face with her mouth covered by duct tape. Although the image was blurry, Patty Doel believed the girl looked like her daughter, noting a cowlick on her right temple and a lazy eye similar to Tara’s features. The blue-striped fabric the girl lay upon also bore a striking resemblance to the pillow seen in the original Polaroid. The third photograph, taken on film not available until February 1990, showed a woman loosely bound in gauze, wearing large black-framed eyeglasses with her eyes covered. A man was seated next to her in the passenger seat of an Amtrak train. Patty was uncertain whether the woman was Tara but suspected it might have been a cruel joke. 

Tara Calico was officially declared dead in 1998, with a judge ruling her death a homicide. Unfortunately, the case went cold due to the lack of new information or leads until the developments in 2008. Sheriff Rene Rivera of Valencia County, New Mexico, revealed significant developments regarding the disappearance of Tara Calico. He indicated that he had insights into her case and identified two suspects—referred to as two men who were teenagers at the time of Tara's disappearance. These individuals were reportedly following Tara on her bike when an accident occurred. Rivera explained that, in a moment of panic after the incident, the teenagers disposed of her body. However, without remains to substantiate claims, law enforcement faced challenges in making arrests. On June 6, 2023, the Valencia County Sheriff's Office made a groundbreaking announcement that reignited hope in the hearts of those still seeking answers in the Tara Calico case. In a press release, they shared that significant progress had been made in collaboration with the FBI regarding the investigation into Tara's mysterious disappearance. 

This news, reported by the Valencia County News-Bulletin, was a beacon of potential justice after decades of uncertainty. Sheriff Rowland further elaborated on this promising development when he spoke to The Sun on June 28, stating, "Law enforcement believes they have identified the offenders associated with Tara Calico's disappearance." Excitement buzzed through the community as Rowland revealed that new evidence had emerged from investigative efforts that began in October 2020 and continued to the present day. The prospect of charging and arresting the individuals involved brought a sense of urgency and renewed determination to the long-cold case. In a further sign of progress, Rowland mentioned that the District Attorney's Office had assigned a dedicated team of prosecutors to meticulously review the investigation. "This case has obvious challenges due to its age and circumstances," he noted, recognizing the complexities that 34 years of investigative work presented. Legal experts were being briefed, and the momentum was building. However, the investigation still faced hurdles; specific details about the suspects and the new evidence remained sealed, and detectives were actively seeking the public's assistance for any additional information. Notably, the FBI confirmed that the girl in the  Polaroid photograph, long speculated to be Tara, was not her—a revelation that stirred both disappointment and relief among those following the case. 

The disappearance of Tara Calico  has captivated the public's imagination for years. Tara's story has sparked various theories—some speculate she was kidnapped, others believe she may have been the victim of a covered-up accident, while some suggest she was a teenage runaway. Each theory adds layers to the mystery. The aftermath of that fateful day remains unsolved, and the lingering questions call out for answers. As we reflect on Tara's case, it is crucial to remember that her disappearance is not just a statistic but a profound tragedy that has affected countless lives. Her memory lives on, urging us to seek justice and closure, ensuring that she is never forgotten, and that those who may hold the key to her fate are encouraged to come forward.

Outro: "And that brings us to the end of another unsettling tale. As always, thank you for listening to Murder By Nature. If you’ve enjoyed tonight’s episode, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening from—and be sure to return this Thursday for a brand new story that will keep you up at night.

Until then, I’m Jazmin Ramirez, reminding you to stay vigilant. Stay safe, and remember… don’t get murdered, and for the love of all things dark, don’t become the murderer. You’ve been warned, you beautiful, haunted souls.