The case of Shaina Kirkpatrick and Shausha Henson remains one of the most perplexing and tragic disappearances in recent history.
These two young siblings vanished under mysterious circumstances in April 2001 while on a road trip from Portland, Oregon, accompanied by their mother, Kimyala Henson, her childhood friend Christina Noel Mayer, and Mayer's boyfriend, Frank Lee Oehring.
Background and Disappearance
On April 4, 2001, Shaina Ashley Kirkpatrick, aged 3, and her sister, Shausha Latine Henson, aged 2 months, left their home in Portland with their mother, Kimyala Henson.
Accompanying them were Kimyala's friend Christina Noel Mayer and Mayer's boyfriend, Frank Lee Oehring, who was a fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of his ex-wife.
Oehring reportedly led a Satanist group in Missouri, of which Mayer was an alleged member.
Mayer and Oehring had unexpectedly arrived in Portland around April 2, 2001, because they allegedly wanted to relocate.
Mayer reconnected with Kimyala through a phone book, and within a week, Oehring invited Kimyala and her daughters on a road trip to British Columbia, Canada.
On April 5, the group began their journey to Canada.
On the way, they stopped in Sacramento to obtain Kimyala's birth certificate, allegedly needed for the trip.
Then they stopped in Redding and stayed at a hotel, where they were last seen.
Two days into the road trip, Kimyala's mother passed away in Portland.
Family members tried to inform her by phone but could not reach her.
The Discovery of Multiple Bodies
On April 20, 2001, an off-duty deputy discovered the bodies of Mayer and Oehring at a rest area in Collier County, Florida.
Mayer had been shot with a .22 caliber rifle, and Oehring had shot himself in the head in an apparent murder-suicide.
Investigators found Kimyala's torn birth certificate in a garbage can nearby, and evidence indicated that Mayer and Oehring had used Kimyala's credit cards for purchases across several states.
The group's vehicle, a Kia Sephia, was found at the rest area.
Inside, authorities discovered a diaper bag, but no sign of the missing children.
Mayer had fraudulently obtained a Nevada state ID card using Kimyala's identity, further complicating the investigation.
Eight days later, on April 28, 2001, Kimyala Henson's body was found partially buried near Pyramid Lake, approximately 37 miles north of Wadsworth, Nevada.
She had been brutally murdered, bludgeoned with a hatchet, and shot.
Ballistics confirmed that the gun used in Mayer and Oehring's murder-suicide was the same weapon used to kill Kimyala.
The hatchet that was used to kill Kimyala was discovered in Mayer and Oehring's car.
Testing on a bloodstain found on the hatchet, confirmed it belonged to Kimyala.
Neither Shausha nor Shaina's blood was present.
Authorities believe Oehring and Mayer were responsible for Kimyala's murder.
There was no evidence of Shaina Kirkpatrick and Shausha Henson, and they have not been seen since.
Despite extensive searches and investigations, the whereabouts of Shaina Kirkpatrick and Shausha Henson remain unknown.
Various theories have been proposed.
One theory suggests that Oehring and Mayer killed Kimyala and took her children
However, authorities do not know whether Mayer and Oehring harmed the children or sold them to others.
However, no definitive evidence has emerged to support this theory.
As of 2023, the disappearance of Shaina Kirkpatrick and Shausha Henson remains an open case.
The tragic events that unfolded in April 2001 continue to resonate, leaving a trail of unanswered questions and a desperate need for closure.
The community and law enforcement remain vigilant, hoping that new information will one day lead to the resolution of this heartbreaking mystery.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Portland Police Bureau maintain open files on the case, urging anyone with information to come forward.
The pursuit of justice and the search for Shaina and Shausha persist, driven by the hope that they will one day be found.
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