AK AK - Tracie Vicent, 26, Anchorage, 14 June 1995

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I agree - I can really see both scenarios happen. It's very possible that Tracie's boyfriend (given his history of violence) hurt her but I also think it's possible she left of her own accord and then didn't make contact for some reason. Maybe she met with foul play, but also, maybe she really was ashamed of what was going on and felt that her kids' lives would be more stable without her (or she planned on getting them back when she got back on her feet).

The Anchorage pattern is really creepy but I honestly hope she made her way elsewhere. It seems like she has an alias so if anyone has a subscription to those services that let you search people, that could be useful. I've found several people who have the right age range but it doesn't sound like Lisa Hill is a very unusual, showy name so it can be anyone else. I've only used pipl but on the social networks bit I found about three profiles who look a bit like what she could look like nowadays, but it's hard to be sure because of the angle of the photos. Roselvr, I can PM them to you if you'd like.

Finally, are you completely sure she's 100% Portuguese? Her name doesn't sound like it. I'm not talking about the first and middle names as from what I understand, it's really common in immigrants from everywhere to give their kids names from their new country. Her last name, however, doesn't sound like it. Maybe it's a case of the Vincent family having chosen a more Americanized spelling or a spelling mistake in old records that caught on (like how many European immigrants in the early 20th century had their names changed a bit so they'd sound more English or even because in their paperwork it had ended up misspelled by someone who didn't know their language).

Her daughter said Tracie is 100% Portuguese. She was an honor student that was expected to marry a Portuguese guy until she got pregnant & I assume brought shame to the family.

I don't doubt the name was shortened at some point. My daughters paternal side came over from Poland; some changed the name so much it doesn't resemble her last name with yszyn. The most logical thing to do would have been to change the spelling to what the name actually sounds like; but they didn't do that either.

My parents came over in the late 50's from Hungary; 1 kid has a Hungarian 1st name while myself & another have American names.

I saw her sister on FB this morning; I'm going to try to contact her. Since she & I aren't FB friends; my messages are going in her other folder which she probably has no clue that it's there.

I contacted Tracie's NamUs rep yesterday; to give her the daughter's info to submit a DNA sample. Hopefully I hear back from them today.
 
Her daughter said Tracie is 100% Portuguese. She was an honor student that was expected to marry a Portuguese guy until she got pregnant & I assume brought shame to the family.

I don't doubt the name was shortened at some point. My daughters paternal side came over from Poland; some changed the name so much it doesn't resemble her last name with yszyn. The most logical thing to do would have been to change the spelling to what the name actually sounds like; but they didn't do that either.

My parents came over in the late 50's from Hungary; 1 kid has a Hungarian 1st name while myself & another have American names.

I saw her sister on FB this morning; I'm going to try to contact her. Since she & I aren't FB friends; my messages are going in her other folder which she probably has no clue that it's there.

I contacted Tracie's NamUs rep yesterday; to give her the daughter's info to submit a DNA sample. Hopefully I hear back from them today.

Then I wonder if she could have gone (or tried to go) to an area with a large Portuguese community, like Gardenlady said. Maybe even also back to Portugal if she had family there and could afford it.
 
Name changes are very common. I have family that immigrated as recently as the seventies, and they ended up with a different last name to the rest of the family due to mothers' last name + fathers last name combo. Part of the family that came in the 40s also ended up with an anglicized name (not sure if that was done by immigration or by family themselves) that is off by just a letter switch from the original. If their last name, was say, Vicente, it's an easy jump to "Vicent" to make it more English-sounding.

Also - it's very common for recently immigrated Portuguese parents to be very strict and still very religious. It would be unsurprising for me if Tracy's early pregnancies were a source of embarrassment and discomfort to her older family (not my judgement, just speculation on what theirs may have been based on experience). IME, with time, they probably would have gotten over it, and been accepting and doted on the babies - but perhaps Tracy didn't have the patience to wait for them to get over it, or perhaps didn't feel like they ever would - and so decided not to return to family.

Just my hope, really, as it would at least mean she is alive. :(

If they want to look into whether Tracie went to an area that is heavily Portuguese, there is a bilingual English/Portuguese newspaper out of New Bedford, that is sold thruout se mass and into RI called "O Jornal" that might be worth contacting to run a story, or even place an ad in, perhaps.
 
Name changes are very common. I have family that immigrated as recently as the seventies, and they ended up with a different last name to the rest of the family due to mothers' last name + fathers last name combo. Part of the family that came in the 40s also ended up with an anglicized name (not sure if that was done by immigration or by family themselves) that is off by just a letter switch from the original. If their last name, was say, Vicente, it's an easy jump to "Vicent" to make it more English-sounding.

Also - it's very common for recently immigrated Portuguese parents to be very strict and still very religious. It would be unsurprising for me if Tracy's early pregnancies were a source of embarrassment and discomfort to her older family (not my judgement, just speculation on what theirs may have been based on experience). IME, with time, they probably would have gotten over it, and been accepting and doted on the babies - but perhaps Tracy didn't have the patience to wait for them to get over it, or perhaps didn't feel like they ever would - and so decided not to return to family.

Just my hope, really, as it would at least mean she is alive. :(

If they want to look into whether Tracie went to an area that is heavily Portuguese, there is a bilingual English/Portuguese newspaper out of New Bedford, that is sold thruout se mass and into RI called "O Jornal" that might be worth contacting to run a story, or even place an ad in, perhaps.

I spent some time trying to figure things out the other day but had to stop to help someone else.

I'm pretty sure Vicente is correct. I'm not understanding the whole story; I know she brought shame to the family with the pregnancy at 16 & was kicked out; some how her child was left with her mother. She spoke to her child via phone but had never seen her again.

I'm trying to figure out where the Alias Lisa Hill comes from & thought maybe it was the boyfriends last name but I'm not sure that's right because if she was arrested for soliciting; she wouldn't use his last name makes more sense to me.

I contacted the NamUs rep Sunday to give her the daughters contact info; she emailed me back Monday & said it's going to be really hard to get the Alaska state police to get the DNA from the daughter & that we need to figure out 2 other people to use. I gave her the names I had along with their state & town so we'll see what comes of it. Really is a shame that we're hitting so many snags when her daughter is more then willing to do it.
 
Did they say why it woukd be hard for Alaska SP to get the DNA? Are they just understaffed/underfunded? Unwilling to work old cases?

I thought I'd read before that NAMUS (or may e it was another org?) will mail out the swab kit for DNA directly to the family member. If ADP is unwilling or unable to do it, that will probably be the way they have to go.

It is indeed frustrating when there is family so willing to do what needs to be done, and these roadblocks come up because of beaurocracy or whatever. :banghead: Tracie's children deserve answers.
 
Did they say why it woukd be hard for Alaska SP to get the DNA? Are they just understaffed/underfunded? Unwilling to work old cases?

I thought I'd read before that NAMUS (or may e it was another org?) will mail out the swab kit for DNA directly to the family member. If ADP is unwilling or unable to do it, that will probably be the way they have to go.

It is indeed frustrating when there is family so willing to do what needs to be done, and these roadblocks come up because of beaurocracy or whatever. :banghead: Tracie's children deserve answers.

She said that it will be "challenging" to get someone to get the DNA samples there because they have to have law enforcement actually do the swabbing, for evidentuary purposes. Apparently the Troopers are too busy to be bothered.
 
Tracie's mom & sister have submitted DNA. I've been trying to connect her NamUs rep with family; it just has not happened until last week.

It was a process. Her rep had to get Alaska's ok to clear the way to allow them to get DNA in another state.
 
Tracie's DNA has been processed
DNA Status: Sample submitted - Tests complete

I have been unsure exactly what happens when it's processed; asked her case manager for clarification yesterday... Janet said that as soon as it gets processed, it is uploaded into the national database CODIS. It searches 24/7/365
 
Tracie has been missing 20 years </3 So many cases have been solved this year. Wish Tracie would be found to give her family some closure.

I've been watching a lot of Alaska shows; Alaska the last frontier, the Last Alaskans. Alaskan Bush people, Railroad Alaska if I see it on...
 
Missing 22 years. 22 years of a huge void in the life of her children and siblings. So many places in Alaska that she could be hidden in. Hoping one day her family gets answers.
 
Missing 22 years. 22 years of a huge void in the life of her children and siblings. So many places in Alaska that she could be hidden in. Hoping one day her family gets answers.
I don't believe that she left voluntarily. Her boyfriend probably killed her, but a serial killer can't be ruled out. (At first I wondered about Robert Hansen, but then I read that he had been apprehended back in '83. He's dead now. Good riddance.)
 
I don't believe that she left voluntarily. Her boyfriend probably killed her, but a serial killer can't be ruled out. (At first I wondered about Robert Hansen, but then I read that he had been apprehended back in '83. He's dead now. Good riddance.)

I agree about her BF
 
Anyone know the boyfriend’s name?

Looking closely at Tracie’s picture, it looks like she doesn’t have any teeth. Or maybe her tongue is sticking out slightly and covering her teeth? I only wonder this because if she is in fact missing her teeth that would be a helpful detail to know when looking at UID’s.
 

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