Member-only story
Worth a Thousand Words: Disappearance of Tara Calico
The story behind New Mexico’s infamous missing person case, was there a possible coverup?
Patty Doel had finally accepted that her daughter, Tara Calico, was no longer a little girl. Tara was now 19-years-old, so the days of having her within reach were numbered. Just a few years prior, Tara had been a bubbly high schooler. She would arrive home and spoil her mom with every last detail of her social life because she was popular among her peers. This was not a shock, not only was Tara naturally beautiful, she put a lot of effort in how she presented herself.
Although her daughter’s teenage days were over, Patty could not be happier with Tara’s transition into young adulthood. Tara was now in her second year at the University of New Mexico, where she was in the Honors program. She dreamed of becoming a psychologist so she could help other people with their problems. To help pay for her education, she worked at a local bank. She also developed a routine with her new life and documented her schedule for her upcoming day each morning.
Despite Tara’s growth, there were childhood traditions she still loved to share with her mother. One tradition was their routine bike rides along New Mexico State Road 47. Every daybreak, Patty and Tara biked the 25-mile route. The vision of Tara’s hair sailing through the breeze amidst the wires of her Walkman’s headphones was a sight Patty would never forget. Similarly, the picturesque landscape of the New Mexico desert was a welcome accompaniment for any cyclist.
However, in the summer of 1988, Patty began to opt-out of the bike rides. Some drivers along New Mexico State Road 47 began to harass the mother and daughter. Sometimes it was catcalling; other times, Patty felt somebody was following them. Tara understood her decision but still wanted to continue riding the trail. Patty allowed her to but told her she should begin bringing pepper spray with her. Tara laughed off the idea because she believed her mother scrutinized the situation too much.
