Episode Summary
A little girl vanishes from her bedroom in the middle of the night only to be found brutally murdered, forcing her community to recognize that the worst really IS possible.
Listen Now
For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode HERE.
Episode Info
If you have any information about the murder of Rosie Tapia, please call the Salt Lake City police department at 801-799-3455.
Rosie Tapia
Lewine Tapia at a press conference speaking about her daughter’s murder
P.I. Jason Jensen showing a sketch composite of the person of interest
The sketch composite released in 2019
John Brewer Eustace
Episode Source Material
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Girl found dead in S.L. Canal, by Joshua B. Good
- The Daily Herald (Provo, UT): Two girls drown in separate incidents, by Associated Press
- YouTube: Rosie Tapia Murder Story 8-14-1995, uploaded by KSL News
- The Salt Lake Tribune: 6-Year-Old Girl Was Assaulted Before Drowning, Say Police, by Joshua B. Good
- The Daily Herald (Provo, UT): Autopsy: 6-year-old was homicide victim, by Associated Press
- YouTube: Rosie Tapia Murder Story 1 1995 – KUTV 2News, uploaded by KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City
- YouTube: Rosie Tapia Murder 1995 Story 2 – KUTV 2News, uploaded by KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City
- YouTube: Rosie Tapia Murder 1995 Story 3- KUTV 2News, uploaded by KUTV 2 News Salt Lake City
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Night Guard to Patrol Apartment Complex
- The Salt Lake Tribune: PROTECTING THE CHILDREN
- The Salt Lake Tribune: There’s Safety in Numbers, by Joshua B. Good
- The Daily Herald (Provo, UT): Mother calls police says she has daughter, by Associated Press
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Who Would Snatch a Sleeping Child in Utah? FBI Trying to Find Out, by Joshua B. Good
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Because Cop Cares, He’s on the Air, by Shawn Foster
- The Daily Herald (Provo, UT): 75 Utahns slain in ’95, by Associated Press
- The Salt Lake Tribune: A Year Later, Police Still Have No Leads in Girl’s Abduction, Murder, by Joshua B. Good
- The Charlotte Observer: Kidnapping Probe Expanded, by John Hechinger and Gary L. Wright
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Unsolved Murders, by Vince Horiuchi
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Murder Suspect Questioned About 1995 Killing, by Greg Burton
- Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Tooele, UT): Abduction/homicide finding released
- The Times-News (Twin Falls, ID): Utah’s list of missing children grows longer, by Associated Press
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Police hint at new lead in young girl’s murder, by Matt Canham
- YouTube: Cold Case in Utah Rosie Tapia~Child Kiddnapped, Sexually Assulted and Murdered in 1995, uploaded by TyneRoseMedia
- KUTV: Cops scour archive news footage searching for clues in 6-year-old’s unsolved murder, by Jeremy Harris
- KUTV: New leads in ’95 murder of 6-year-old girl gives family hope, by Dan Rascon
- Elko Daily Free Press (Elko, NV): Coalition offers reward to solve Utah cold cases, by Associated Press
- YouTube: 23 years later, Rosie Tapia murder remains unsolved, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- YouTube: Rosie Tapia’s Family on Losing Rosie, uploaded by McKayla Robinson
- KUTV: Barbie doll left on murdered 6-year-old’s grave: Who put it there?, by McKenzie Stauffer
- YouTube: New tip could turn Rosie Tapia murder in a new direction, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- Discovery+: On the Case with Paula Zahn, She’s Gone
- YouTube: New details in Rosie Tapia murder investigation, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- YouTube: Justice Files: Composite image of Rosie Tapia killer released, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- YouTube: Composite of suspect in Rosie Tapia murder goes viral, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- The Daily Universe: BYU journalists release documentary short on Rosie Tapia cold case, by Josh Carter
- The Daily Spectrum (Saint George, UT): Killer still sought 24 years after child’s murder, by Associated Press
- YouTube: The Justice Files: A second person of interest uncovered in Rosie Tapia murder, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- YouTube: The Justice Files: A break? Or just coincidence in Rosie Tapia cold case, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- YouTube: The Justice Files: Police investigating latest Rosie Tapia tips, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- ABC4: The Justice Files: DNA sought in Rosie Tapia murder investigation, by Marcos Ortiz
- Longview Daily News (Longview, WA): Cops’ use of DNA raises questions, by Lindsey Van Ness
- KUTV: 25 years after abduction, 6-year-old Rosie Tapia’s murder remains unsolved, by McKenzie Stauffer
- YouTube: Cold Case Coalition launches new project on 25th anniversary of 6-year-old Rosie Tapias’ murder, uploaded by ABC4 Utah
- Salt Lake Tribune: Girl Missing From Aunt’s Apartment Was With Mother, by Colleen Diskin
- Charlotte Observer: Molester’s outburst at sentencing, by Gary L. Wright
- Deseret News: Salt Lake police release sketch in unsolved ’95 murder case, by Dennis Romboy
- Deseret News: Remembering Rosie: A Utah family searches for hope and justice in the 23-year-old unsolved murder of Rosie Tapia, by McKayla Robinson