The Strange Disappearance of Kierra Coles
Kierra Coles had her entire future in her hands. The 26 year old lived in Chicago where she was born and raised. She spent her days working for the postal service, spending time with friends and talking to her mother Karen Phillips. Karen and Kierra were extremely close. They talked every single day and were even closer now that Kierra was pregnant with her first child.
October 2nd 2018 was like any other day in Chicago. It was a Tuesday and most people in the busy city were going off to work. The 26 year old was no different. The night before she and her mother spoke and Kierra explained that she was preparing to go to work the next day. Her mother recalled things seemed fine. They both went to bed and the next day when Karen called and didn’t think much about it when the call rang to voicemail. Kierra had a lot going on she probably was getting ready for work and would hit her back later, maybe once Kierra got to work.
October in Chicago is the calm before the storm. Chicago which is notorious for its aggressive winters full of snow and wind. Kierra stood at 5 foot 4 inches about 125 pounds with smooth brown skin and black hair that would occasionally be cut to the collarbone or long down her back. Kierra had a few tattoos, including a heart on her left hand and a jaguar's head on the back of her shoulder. She was a virgo/libra, born on September 24th, and was the 4th of 5 children. Much like those zodiac signs she grew up with a hard work ethic. She treasured her family and valued her friends and really loved being independent. At the time she had been promoted from substitute postal carrier to full time at the post office handling mail, and working Lyft in her free time. She recently moved into a new apartment at the intersection of 81st street and Vernon, that she was in the process of decorating and getting prepared and it also bought herself a new car. All these preparations of course were exciting but the biggest was her excitement for a new baby. Kierra was about three months along, and was expecting with her boyfriend Joshua Simmons.
Kierra and Joshua had met and began dating at the United States Post Office. The two got along most of the times. They were described as a couple that meshed well together. However Josh struggled with infidelity that resulted in the couple often breaking up and getting back together. Josh also had two other young children with an ex girlfriend who he actively co parented with. When Kierra found out that she was pregnant this didn’t necessarily deter her. She and Josh had talked and planned to build a life together, and that included children. However a couple weeks after finding out she was pregnant Kierra learned that Josh had been unfaithful again, and the woman he was with also became pregnant. It isn’t clear how far along she was and though the news about Joshs deceit was surprising and hurtful, Kierra was still excited about her baby being due on April 23rd 2019.
On Monday October 1st and Tuesday October 2nd Kierra decided to take a couple vacation days. She would still be in the city, but was taking a longer weekend to rest she was gearing up for her pregnancy to enter a new trimester. She needed to catch her breath, with the new move, new car, and job promotion. On Tuesday October 2nd Kierra hung out with a friend and then in the late afternoon she had a WIC appointment. The meeting was a part of the program that helps mothers with baby formula and just overall support during pregnancy. On the way to the appointment Kierra called her mom and talked about baby formulas and just the upcoming week ahead, but that would be the last time Karen heard from Kierra. The next day on October 3rd Kierra was supposed to go back to work. That morning Karen called Kierra a few times. When she didn't hear back she felt again no big deal she might be getting ready for work. As the day went on with no calls from Kierra, eventually Karen had her daughter Kiesha reach out but the calls went from ringing repeatedly to straight to voicemail.
On Thursday October 4th Karen calls began to become more frantic. She searched Kierra's social media Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to see any sign that Kierra had been out and about. All avenues were silent as the concern grew Kierra's family reached out to her boyfriend Josh and asked him had they had he heard from Kierra. He expressed that he hadn't but would come by to check out her apartment. Eventually Karen called the Chicago Police Department and asked them to perform a welfare check, maybe Kierra was inside and had just gotten a depressive episode. Not that she had any history of it before but anything is possible. However police reported that Kierra was not home despite her car being parked in front of the building. it was not long after that Karen decided to place an official police report. When Karen called Kierra's job she learned that she had called in sick on Wednesday October 3rd although no one was quite sure why, the postal worker who answered the call was sure it was Kierra calling in sick.
Law Enforcement’s involvement started off strong but began to deplete during the investigation. When the police find Kierra's car parked near her home they check inside there Kierra’s cellphone and purse sat although her wallet and keys were not inside, and the seat is pushed back farther than where a 5 foot 4 inch person would be seated. The police moved forward with entering the case as a missing person, but it is labeled as non suspicious and there wasn't much tension being pushed even with the car being found. The US Postal Service launched their own investigation offering a reward money for Kierra. The Postal Service is an independent agency of the Executive branch of the United States Federal Government so they are similar to any branch of government or your military or Navy, they have their own investigations and fun fact mail service workers can also be in line for a president position if hundreds of thousands of people in line before them were unable to do the job.
With a reward out investigators and family begin to analyze the surveillance footage around. There really wasn't much, a lot of tapes or recordings get deleted within three days. You would be surprised at the amount of people who literally go missing and there is no good evidence about their last whereabouts because cameras are broken or videotape isn't saved. However they do catch Kierra walking from her home passing by her car then quickly turning to the side and changing directions almost as if she were distracted or someone called her. The tape is sent out by media outlets and the video becomes kind of infamous, you can look online to watch. In the mean time Kierra's family wants to analyze her phone but with the missing person case still being looked at as non suspicious they can't unlock her phone nor can they figure out her passcode.
I've said this in the past and it is something I stand by: every single person should have a missing person file. The file basically is a “how to” on understanding someone’s life. You list bank information places that you frequent friends enemies and passwords! My sister and I have the same password. I've got a good five people who constantly have my location, the point is having this file is important! The fact that her family could not go through her phone simply because they did not have her passcode is devastating and adds a major set back to the case.
After a few months the investigation kind of stalls, there is no sign of Kierra but there's also no sign of Joshua. Her boyfriend had not helped with searches, after that day of being notified that Kierra was missing he hadn't really followed up. According to her family Josh was living with the other woman who he had gotten pregnant. The family didn't suspect Josh because he and Kierra had been together for so long, and they weren't exactly Privy to the ups and downs of the relationship. But Josh did do a couple strange things. First he moved. Like he up and left and moved out with his girlfriend, and never really talked to the police or gave any updates about his communication with Kierra before or during her disappearance. It also didn't seem like Kierra was even being searched for by Joshua which is strange because wouldn't you want to know where the mother of your unborn child is?
In the months after her disappearance investigators searched the areas around Chicago in November 2018. A search was conducted in the Whistler Woods Forest preserve there were bones that were collected however it wasn't revealed whether they were human or animal. What is true is that they were not Kierra not only that, but the already stalled case took a major turn backwards when it was revealed, that viral video from several months earlier was confirmed to not be Kierra. Everyone was shocked to hear this but Karen wasn't. Kierra’s mother was told that the police informed her to not reveal that the person on camera was not Kierra. It was someone that looks like her. Karen decided to come forward with this “secret” after the lack of movement in the case.
It has officially been over three years since Kierra's disappearance. It seems like the last time there was any movement from her was after leaving her friends house and going towards her appointment which consequently she never made.
Kierra's father quit his job in Wisconsin and moved to Chicago, he was even sleeping in his car for awhile right outside of Kierra’s apartment just hoping one day she'd come home. He spent his days and nights handing out Flyers talking to media outlets trying to get Kierra’s name to stay somewhat popular. A large reward fund was set up The US Postal Service offered $25,000 the National Association of letter carriers offered $2,500 and as of 2020 the amount has risen to $50,000 by a Chicago based activists.
Kierra’s family is under the belief that she is still alive and being held captive in some sort of vacant home. There hasn't been much evidence to this as there has been no movement from Kierra there haven't been sightings, there's been no change in her bank account since October 2nd 2018 when she disappeared. What makes matters worse is Karen Phillips ended up losing her son about a year or so later after Kierra’s disappearance. He was involved in a shooting over an argument regarding a car. Karen has lost her son and her daughter is still out there, she believes the Chicago Police Department has remained tight lipped about the disappearance. They have noted that there are a couple persons of interest, but as we know a person of interest and someone announced a full blown suspect are two different things. Other than that, They haven't given much out of any other information that they know but the case is still very much open.
There have been theories regarding what happened to Kierra from her boyfriend being involved to Kierra just simply walking away. Other theories have mentioned Karen Phillips boyfriend at the time being involved and some say that this might have just been an act of gang violence. However none of those really fit, well almost none. As I've mentioned before I really don't like to comment my theory unless a case is closed. However this is one of those cases that really could be solved sooner than later. It's not so much whodunit but when will they be revealed.
If Kierra were here right now she would be in her late 20s her child would be a little toddler she probably would have gotten another promotion or even found a better suited job. She would be doing so many positive things which is why her story needs to continue to be told. As always if you have any information about Kierra Coles disappearance please contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-747-5789 or the United States Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455.
sources:
https://www.wincalendar.com/Calendar/Date/October-2-2018
https://www.newsonyx.com/kierra-coles-absence-is-unbearable-for-her-mother-3-years-after-her-disappearance/
https://medium.com/the-mystery-box/the-unsolved-disappearance-of-missing-usps-worker-kierra-coles-f4b0b105c432
https://www.mommalovestruecrime.com/2021/09/the-disappearance-of-kierra-coles.html
https://abcnews.go.com/US/end-nightmare-mom-desperate-answers-year-pregnant-postal/story?id=65951321
https://truecrimedaily.com/2020/09/25/kierra-cole-missing-family-appeals-for-help-finding-chicago-postal-worker-pregnant-when-she-disappeared/
https://guardianlv.com/2021/09/missing-chicago-postal-worker-kierra-coles-parents-still-searching/
https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/kierra-coles-family-offers-reward-3-years-after-vanishing
https://abcnews.go.com/US/kierra-coles-pregnant-postal-workers-mysterious-disappearance-torture/story?id=80187100
