July 5th marks 19 years since the disappearance of Tamra Keepness, who was 5 years old when she went missing in 2004. To keep her memory alive and show the public the search continues, an annual BBQ was held in Regina’s Pepsi Park, the neighbourhood where Tamra lived when she went missing.
The Regina Police Service (RPS) volunteered to flip burgers along with community members to help feed the attendees.
“We’re here just to honor Tamra and try (to) keep her memory alive,” said RPS Superintendent Jeff Wagner. “The Regina Police Service haven’t forgotten about Tamra, we have an open investigation (and) we still continue to receive tips. We hope that one day someone will give us that one piece of information that we need to provide closure.”
Inspector Wagner said the investigation is deemed a cold case and they receive 8 to 10 tips a year where they are investigated thoroughly.
“We always have hope that … someone knows what happened,” he said. “We hope that someone will come forward and give us some information that we need.”
Erica Beaudin, Cowessess First Nation Chief, has been at the annual BBQ every year since the disappearance. She said it’s important to recognize the day that one of the Regina community members went missing, signifying that Tamra has yet to come home.
“Every year I am so inspired and appreciative of the continued support of the community, both in the area of where Tamra went missing, but also overall in Regina, across the province as well as the nation,” she said. “The family still holds out hope that we will find out where Tamra is. The ultimate hope is that she does come home, and she is alive (and) well. It’s always the hope that she moves from missing to found.”
News that Tamra’s mother, Lorena Keepness, passed away in late May was unveiled at this year’s BBQ. Beaudin said this year, the family are not only remembering that Tamra is still missing, but that they are in a position of facing this event and the anniversary without their mother with them.
“Lorena was an incredibly beautiful (and) complex spirit. She was a woman who loved her children dearly. She was incredibly dedicated to her children,” said Beaudin. “The children who are now adults to continue the fight for justice … they will never rest until she comes home (and) we will always support them.”
Next year will be the 20th anniversary of Tamra’s disappearance and her family says they’ll be back to remember her as their precious daughter, sister, or friend.
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