Found Deceased MA - Jalajhia “LayLay” Finklea, 18, pregnant, w/ Luis Zaragoza (fnd decd), New Bedford, 20 Oct 2020

[smalleagles]

Jalajhia Finklea, who turned 18 on Oct. 21, was last seen in New Bedford around 4 to 5 p.m. on the 20th and last texted a friend that night that she was meeting with a man named Luis Barboza.

Finklea, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, has short brown hair with some blond streaks, light hazel eyes and a birthmark on the right side of her cheek, her aunt Tia Costa said. Finklea also has some tattoos on her shoulder blades and on the front part of her torso, Costa said. She is 5 foot, 3 inches and weighs 110 pounds.

Maliyah Howerton said it is very unusual for her friend to not respond to calls and text messages. The family also said she would not run away.

Costa said New Bedford police are investigating. Anyone with information about Finklea is asked to call that department.

LayLay's current Instagram account
An older Instagram account
Interview with LayLay about her music



Cape Cod Times Article
New Bedford Guide Article
Newsbreak Article
Missing Persons Poster

 

[smalleagles]

additional images of Jalajhia, from her personal Instagram page.

 

[OliviaLeigh]

Jalajhia Finklea, who turned 18 on Oct. 21, was last seen in New Bedford around 4 to 5 p.m. on the 20th and last texted a friend that night that she was meeting with a man named Luis Barboza.

Finklea, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, has short brown hair with some blond streaks, light hazel eyes and a birthmark on the right side of her cheek, her aunt Tia Costa said. Finklea also has some tattoos on her shoulder blades and on the front part of her torso, Costa said. She is 5 foot, 3 inches and weighs 110 pounds.

Maliyah Howerton said it is very unusual for her friend to not respond to calls and text messages. The family also said she would not run away.

Costa said New Bedford police are investigating. Anyone with information about Finklea is asked to call that department.

LayLay's current Instagram account
An older Instagram account
Interview with LayLay about her music



Cape Cod Times Article
New Bedford Guide Article
Newsbreak Article
Missing Persons Poster

 

[OliviaLeigh]

I am shocked there isn't anything contributed to your post. There are rampant rumors and screenshots being passed around and very angry friends and family members demanding them be pulled down. Anyone have screenshots etc to share? I have a few but not many.

 

[Yemelyan]

I am shocked there isn't anything contributed to your post. There are rampant rumors and screenshots being passed around and very angry friends and family members demanding them be pulled down. Anyone have screenshots etc to share? I have a few but not many.

They probably aren't being shared because the rules posters agreed to when they joined Websleuths bans content from social media of friends and family, as well as social media rumors.

 

[azure]

I am shocked there isn't anything contributed to your post. There are rampant rumors and screenshots being passed around and very angry friends and family members demanding them be pulled down. Anyone have screenshots etc to share? I have a few but not many.

Screenshots aren't allowed here, but if anyone's curious, there are 1.2k comments on her family's latest post on her FB: Jalajhia Finklea.

 

[smalleagles]

I am shocked there isn't anything contributed to your post. There are rampant rumors and screenshots being passed around and very angry friends and family members demanding them be pulled down. Anyone have screenshots etc to share? I have a few but not many.

I know! It's especially frustrating seeing how many indigenous women and girls go missing and are disregarded by authorities.
I'm in the area as well and have been seeing this... so shocked this case hasn't been picked up by more media.

 

[PixieStix]

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe posted this on there official website.

Help Bring Jalajhia Finklea Home — Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

From the link above it states,

"Jalajhia was Last seen on October 20th in the New Bedford area with the abductor Luis Robert Zaragoza/Barboza and may have been taken outside of Massachusetts."

This is the closest I can come to an approved link to share since the tribal police are actively working with New Bedford LE. The tribe also has a FB page with a post about it too but it links back to the above. For those looking for screenshots this is the best we can do for now.

I hope they find her, it sounds like a potentially dangerous situation she could be in. JMO.

 

[Spider92]

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe posted this on there official website.

Help Bring Jalajhia Finklea Home — Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

From the link above it states,

"Jalajhia was Last seen on October 20th in the New Bedford area with the abductor Luis Robert Zaragoza/Barboza and may have been taken outside of Massachusetts."

This is the closest I can come to an approved link to share since the tribal police are actively working with New Bedford LE. The tribe also has a FB page with a post about it too but it links back to the above. For those looking for screenshots this is the best we can do for now.

I hope they find her, it sounds like a potentially dangerous situation she could be in. JMO.

Wow they're not shy about identifying the alleged abductor (without the word "alleged"). It makes my skin crawl when an 18 year old goes out with someone twice her age. Hope she gets home safely.

 

[PixieStix]

Wow they're not shy about identifying the alleged abductor (without the word "alleged"). It makes my skin crawl when an 18 year old goes out with someone twice her age. Hope she gets home safely.

I know I hesitated to post, but since tribal LE should be as legit as federal LE, I considered it was safe. Might just be a difference in how they handle things, especially since Native American women go missing at a high rate with a higher than average rate of unsolved crimes.

 

[moody_chicago]

Luis Diamondz (@kingbarboza9) on Twitter

His Twitter

 

[moody_chicago]

My lord this is all SO SUS.
I predict her aunt eventually is charged with child endangerment of some sort. JMO

Family has set up a G**.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Massachusetts tribe seeks help in search for missing 18-year-old member

Jalajhia Finklea was last seen on Oct. 20 in the New Bedford area with 36-year-old Luis Robert Zaragoza

 

[amandab]

Screenshots aren't allowed here, but if anyone's curious, there are 1.2k comments on her family's latest post on her FB: Jalajhia Finklea.

Holy moly what a sh*tshow that FB is.

 

[moody_chicago]

Holy moly what a sh*tshow that FB is.

I KNOW RIGHT!?

 

[moody_chicago]

Holy moly what a sh*tshow that FB is.

But at the same time I’m thankful we have “trolls” and people going hard with their sleuthing over there, collecting intel from the family and taking screenshots etc.
Imo I doubt the fam would be telling LE the thjngs they’re telling randoms on fb. Hopefully LE is taking the time to go through all those comments bc I think a lot of it is actually pretty important! Jmo

 

[Tealgrove]

I have a feeling that after seeing all the FB "stuff", LE may not be working real hard to find this girl. A lot of funky stuff going on over there. Yikes.

 

[moody_chicago]

I have a feeling that after seeing all the FB "stuff", LE may not be working real hard to find this girl. A lot of funky stuff going on over there. Yikes.

Agreed. Which is so unfortunate because he seems...not the best. Just because she’s an adult now doesn’t mean she’s not in danger.

 

[steff13]

If she went willingly (or has been groomed to think she went willingly), there probably isn't much LE can do, other than find her and get her to confirm she went willingly.

He's 6'7"! That's not easy to hide.

 

[smalleagles]

(ugh I'm so glad you all are replying - I'm so worried for this girl and no one had responded for a few days, I didn't want her to go unnoticed.)