WA WA - Kristi Vorak, 13, Tacoma, 31 Oct 1982

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Kristi Lynn Vorak, 13, Missing since October 31, 1982 from Tacoma, WA

Kristi Lynn Vorak
Missing since October 31, 1982 from Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington.
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: October 21, 1969
Age at Time of Disappearance: 13 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3; 110 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; hazel eyes.
Marks, Scars: Vorak has a short middle finger on her left hand.
Other: DNA available.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Vorak was last seen in Tacoma, Washington on Halloween, 1982. She has never been heard from again. Vorak did not have a history as a runaway, but she did frequent the streets of Tacoma occasionally.

Due to this characteristic and Vorak's proximity to the Green River murders in the northwest United States, she was listed as a victim of the serial killer Gary Ridgeway in May 1993.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning Vorak's disappearance, please contact:

Tacoma Police Department
253-798-4721

You may remain anonymous if you wish.

NCMEC #: NCMC837648

Source Information:

The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
The Green River Killer Home Page
Tacoma PD
The Doe Network: Case File 80DFWA


LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/80dfwa.html
 
According to Anne Rule's book on the Green River killer, Gary Ridgeway seemed to have trouble recalling all the names and faces of his victims. They didn't seem like real people to him, it appears. It's possible he doesn't even know for certain how many girls he killed. Although Kristi doesn't fit his normal profile, might he have offered her a ride sometime? I'm thinking at least one of his other victims had no ties to prostitution but was known to hitch hike. If Kristi ever accepted a ride from Gary Ridgeway, unfortunately we know what his intentions were.
 
I've read a couple of books about the Green River case and I've read Ridgeway's confessional testimony. From what I've learned about his victims, I really don't think that this MP fits the profile. She just turned 13 when she went missing which is younger than his typical victim. Ridgeway's rage seemed to be triggered by women working in the prostitution industry, so there is no reason to believe that this 13 year-old girl would have ended up being one of his earlier victims IMO.
 
The Doe Network states: "but she did frequent the streets of Tacoma occasionally" What is that supposed to mean? At 5' 3", 110 lbs, she was big for a 7th grader but was really young. Apparently there is no accounting for her activities that halloween night but she was last seen at a Bus Depot in Seattle. That is quite a ways from Tacoma for a girl so young.
 
I believe that there is a possibility Kristi was murdered by GR, but I am somewhat doubtful over that scenario. I mean was Kristi wearing a costume as it was Halloween when she disappeared? Was she trick or treating? I know Kristi is just a couple of years younger than GR's youngest victims and she was fairly grown, but GR preyed on prostitutes. Not young teen girls running around on Halloween night. Besides, there are cops more on the lookout for trouble on Holidays and I think GR would know he was at more of a risk of getting caught and did he ever go out looking for street workers to prey on during other Holidays? I worry LE has looked in the wrong direction for resolving Kristi's disappearance and the perp is still running around. JMO
 
Bumping. She is still missing after 36 years.
 
Here are the links to NamUs and CHarleyProject:
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/6782/0/
http://charleyproject.org/case/kristi-lynn-vorak

On the Charley Project site says: "She did not have a history as a runaway or a record for prostitution, but she did frequent the streets of Tacoma and neighboring areas."

Not the typical Ridgway victim but... Here it also says that "Her mother believes she may be alive and living in the Seattle area, but investigators believe she is deceased"

Why does the mother believe she is alive? Is it hope or she knows something?




 
Have there been any interviews by family, friends, etc...?

I'd like to know more about who she was, what others in her life think she would and wouldn't do. Did she have any tense relationships with family or friends?
 
I cannot confirm this at this time, but i heard she was trick or treating with her mother and sister or something. She was a little bit a head of them and her family lost sight of her. Then she disappeared.
 
There is a message on Ancestry from Faith Ann Vorak (attached to the Vorak Family Tree and posted 7 years ago) which reads;


"Possible Green River Killer Victum: Kristi was last seen in Tacoma on 10/31/1982. ran away from Faith Home in Tacoma, WA with another runaway,. Never seen or heard from again. in August 1995 the Green River Task Force issued a statement to the Seattle Times stating that 4 other girls were possible victims of the Green River Killer and Kristi was one of the 4 girls."

This seems to contradict some of the other sources on the circumstances of her disappearance and I do not know what is correct, but given the source I would have assumed this has credibility.

7 years ago
 
In my post #17 above I quoted a message from a relative stating that she ran away from Faith Home, Tacoma. Faith Home was a home for unmarried mothers and although 13 may seem young for such a situation, the home had taken girls as young as 11. Information on the home can be found at White Shield Home nominated to Historic Register (historictacoma.org) and following the pdf link to their nomination form which gives a detailed history (it closed in 1987).

If Kristi had given birth this would give a new perspective on both her situation when she went missing and her previous life. It could range from providing a motive to run away, to raising the possibility of post natal depression, to raising questions about the father. Of course, I do not know whether she had given birth or any other details, but it does raise questions which need to be answered.
 
Wow, what a sad case. Why are there so many versions of how she went missing? And you have to wonder if she was a victim of Ridgeway or did someone just want to try to close her case?
This poor girl deserved so much more from life. I hope her truth will come to light soon.
 

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