In 1992, 14-year-old Misty Copsey disappeared after attending the Puyallup Fair in Washington. Misty was a bright, independent teenager who spent the evening at the fair with a friend. Misty attempted to walk home when she missed her bus but never made it. Her mother, Diana Smith, immediately reported her missing, but law enforcement initially dismissed her concerns, treating Misty as a runaway. Her parents, friends, and community launched a frantic search, but Misty was never found, and her disappearance remains unsolved to this day.
Over the years, the case has been marred by missed opportunities and false leads. Items believed to belong to Misty were discovered near a local trail, fueling speculation about foul play. Despite extensive searches and media attention, no arrests were ever made. Investigators have revisited the case multiple times, focusing on potential suspects and advances in DNA technology, but no breakthroughs have emerged.
Join Arlene and Leah as they share Misty's story, the evidence, the timeline, and theories to answer the question: What happened to Misty Copsey on that fateful night?
November is Native American Heritage Month. Learn more about Missing and Indigenous Women: National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC)
Show Notes:
DNA Could Solve Misty Copsey’s 1992 Disappearance and Death
The Disappearance of Misty Copsey: A Special Report
Timeline of Misty Copsey’s Last Known Movements
Investigation into Misty Copsey’s Vanishing
Vanished: 27 Years Since Misty Copsey Was Last Seen in Puyallup
True Crime Tuesday: What Happened to Misty Copsey?
32 Years Later: Disappearance of Misty Copsey Remains a Mystery
Misty Copsey’s Disappearance: An Unsolved Mystery Decades Later
Washington’s Missing and Murdered Women: Have Recent Efforts Made Headway?
Support Box in the Basement & Our Causes
- Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
- Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
- Donate to Seasons of Justice
- Listen to Darkcast Network Shows
- Join Uncovered.com
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!