Cops reveal haunting new theory about cold case mystery of eight-year-old girl who vanished without a trace

Cops have revealed a brand new idea a couple of chilly case thriller of an eight-year-old woman who vanished with no hint over 25 years in the past as they examine a doable ‘individual of curiosity’.

Shy’Kemmia Shyrez Pate, affectionately generally known as Shy Shy, disappeared from exterior her house in Unadilla, Georgia, whereas she was ready for her older sister LaSwanda to drive her to a highschool soccer recreation on September 4, 1998. 

Her frantic household looked for her by way of the night time however she was by no means discovered. Police consider she was final seen round 8.30pm about half a block from her house at Tucker Avenue and West Road.

Household and police have now stated they consider the joyful little woman was kidnapped by somebody she knew and trusted. 

And in a brand new collection of Dateline’s Missing in America, Dooly County Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Lamberth revealed for this primary time that there’s now one other ‘individual of curiosity’ within the chilly case.

‘This different individual was actually hitting the radar heavy and nonetheless does, and nothing has been dominated out,’ Lamberth informed host Josh Mankiewicz – however couldn’t present additional data. 

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Shy Shy’s household house was situated throughout the road from a three-in-one grocery retailer, night time membership and pool parlor referred to as Roxy’s the place neighborhood children would purchase chips and sweet and adults would go to afterhours.

The institution reportedly attracted drug sellers who would stand exterior and lookout for police. 

Nevertheless, when Shy Shey went lacking in September 1998 they cooperated with the authorities and even tipped off police once they noticed an older white man within the space. 

They offered a automobile description which police used to trace him down however he was later dominated out as a doable suspect.

Investigators have been additionally trying right into a 20-year-old neighbor referred to as Quentin ‘Droopy’ Kendrick, who lived roughly 200 yards from the Pate house. 

He was a household buddy and reportedly one of many final individuals who could have seen Shy Shy earlier than she vanished.

Kendrick had been accused of attacking and raping three younger women, the youngest aged 12, and making an attempt to rape two others a couple of years after Shy Shy disappeared.

In 2002, he was charged with a number of counts of rape, kidnapping, housebreaking, aggravated assault, aggravated sodomy and armed theft, and is at the moment serving a life sentence, WALB News reported.

Nevertheless, Veronica Pate, Shy Shy’s mom, who was additionally featured on the Dateline podcast, stated she doesn’t consider Kendrick was concerned in her daughter’s disappearance.

DailyMail.com reached out to Deputy Lamberth and the Dooly County police division for extra particulars, however they have been unavailable for remark.

In 2012, investigators drove practically 13 hours to Detroit after receiving a tip a couple of Fb image of a woman who had a robust resemblance to Shy Shy.

However they hit a useless finish when it emerged the pictures have been of Shy Shy’s cousin, and had been posted on Fb by the lacking woman’s aunt.

Veronica’s sister later moved to Georgia to attempt to assist discover the kid as investigators continued to discover completely different leads.

Then in 2022, an sudden twist got here when a girl from Missouri claimed to be Veronica’s lacking daughter. 

The girl informed her that she had been kidnapped and abused by her abductors, and had since modified her identify. 

Feeling hopeful after the stranger appeared to know issues solely her daughter would know, Veronica organized a video name together with her household to debate the revelation.

However Lamberth defined throughout the podcast that after the lady was interviewed, a DNA take a look at revealed she was not Shy Shy – leaving Veronica devastated.

Shy Shy could be 34 years of age on October 29.

The day she disappeared, the dark-haired, brown-eyed woman was sporting a neon-green Atlanta Braves jersey with pink lettering, Levis and had a brace on her leg. 

She had braid extensions and and round a dozen gold beads in her hair. One in every of her distinguishing marks is a surgical scar on her waistline.

In November final 12 months, the Nationwide Heart for Lacking & Exploited Kids revealed an age-progression photograph to point out what Shy Shy could seem like right this moment within the hope of bringing new consideration to the chilly case. 

Natalie Wilson, co-founder of the Black and Lacking Basis, who was additionally featured on Dateline, informed DailyMail.com they hope by sharing Shy Shy’s story on the podcast they may shine extra gentle on the case at a nationwide degree.

She added that just about 40 p.c of those that go lacking are folks of colour. 

Final summer season, Wilson visited Veronica and her household in Georgia and continues to remain in touch with the household.   

‘Unadilla is a small city in Georgia, the place everybody is aware of each other,’ she stated, including that she too believes the woman could have recognized her abductor.

After Shy Shy’s disappearance, Veronica, who suffers from continual bronchial asthma and kidney illness, ultimately left the house the place she raised her kids and moved to a different space in Georgia.

Veronica has since claimed that police didn’t reply instantly when she first referred to as to report her daughter was lacking and informed her she needed to wait 24 hours.

Wilson stated: ‘The primary 24 to 48 hours are probably the most vital moments when somebody is lacking. Time is of the essence when somebody is lacking, particularly an eight-year-old little one who was final seen on her entrance porch, with a continual medical situation.’

Each Veronica and her daughter LaSwanda, who has her personal kids now, say they can not assist however blame themselves and describe the not realizing what occurred as ‘excruciating’.

‘I felt like had I simply stopped after I noticed her on the porch then she would have been with me as an alternative of going again after I bought fuel,’ LaSwanda informed Dateline. 

‘Had I ended after I noticed her perhaps a few of this could have by no means occurred,’ she stated. 

Veronica added that she feels that if she perhaps if she began on the lookout for Shy Shy sooner, she would have already been discovered.

Regardless of their despair, they proceed to carry on to hope. 

‘I consider in my coronary heart that I’ll see her once more,’ Veronica stated.

Shy Shy’s story is one in every of six instances featured on Dateline ‘Lacking in America’ podcast, which is launching its third season subsequent week. It is going to air each Tuesday and Thursday by way of August 1.