Overview of The Deck — Tyra Garcia (Queen of Diamonds, California)
This episode of The Deck (Audiochuck), hosted by Ashley Flowers, revisits the 1985 disappearance and death of 15-year-old Tyra Garcia (nicknamed Parkey) from Ventura County, California. The story covers the family’s search, early investigative missteps, the physical evidence found with the body, two motel guests who later became persons of interest, and recent cold‑case forensic work (DNA) that has renewed hope for answers after nearly 40 years.
Key facts / case summary
- Victim: Tyra (Tyra Garcia), 15 years old.
- Missing: Memorial Day night, May 27, 1985. Last seen leaving home around 11–11:30 p.m. to speak with neighbors about babysitting.
- Body found: Early June 1985 in an orange orchard near Moore Park; article published June 8 alerted Tyra’s mother to the discovery.
- Condition: Severely decomposed; wrapped in a floral comforter, bound with an extension cord; jewelry, clothing and one shoe present. No cause of death determined (decomposition prevented tox screens and fingerprinting).
- Identification: Confirmed by jewelry and dental work.
Timeline (high‑level)
- May 27, 1985 (Memorial Day night): Tyra leaves home, briefly seen outside 7‑Eleven with a friend (Renee Lambert). Two Hispanic men in a tan Monte Carlo/Buick Regal interact with her. She is later seen getting into that car.
- May 30, 1985: Family files missing persons report after waiting period; initially treated as a runaway due to Tyra’s prior runaways.
- June 6–7, 1985: Farm workers in an orange orchard find a wrapped body; paper prints/press story appears June 8; family notified and identity confirmed.
- June 5, 1985: Two men staying at Wagon Wheel Motel check out days after Tyra’s disappearance (important lead).
- 2013: Degraded DNA found on extension‑cord knot.
- 2023: Improved testing yields a viable male DNA profile uploaded to CODIS; a secondary partial contributor identified.
Witness accounts & last known movements
- Renee Lambert: Walked with Tyra to 7‑Eleven; Tyra stood by the door while two men in a tan car stopped; passenger conversed with Tyra and promised “coke”; Tyra waited in an alley and later was seen getting into the car.
- 7‑Eleven clerk: Provided enough detail to create a composite sketch.
- Neighbors (Sally and others): Reported seeing Tyra at the alley and possibly making out with one of the men; last observed getting into the car.
Main suspects and persons of interest
- “Jake” (pseudonym): Hispanic man who had been staying at the Wagon Wheel Motel; later reportedly bought a gold Buick Regal similar to the car Tyra entered. He took a polygraph in the 1980s and was marked “truthful” on a one‑page note; records of any formal interview are sparse. Currently considered a person of interest.
- “Brian” (pseudonym): White man with strawberry‑blonde hair who stayed in the same motel room as Jake. He admitted to taking a comforter from the room and said he used it to work on his car. Less attention was paid to him historically, but detectives want to interview him.
- James “Jimmy” Zuniga: On‑again/off‑again boyfriend. Ruled out—his DNA is in CODIS and did not match.
- Mark Albiar: Another acquaintance who had been supposed to take Tyra on a date soon before her disappearance. Deceased; DNA not in CODIS (not ruled out).
- Other names surfaced historically (Daniel Cabral; local youths “Berto and Jesse”) but were not clearly pursued or documented in files.
Evidence & forensic developments
- Primary physical evidence: floral comforter with motel wash tag, extension cord tied around the bundle, jewelry, clothing, shoe.
- Motel link: Comforter’s wash tag suggested motel origin; Wagon Wheel Motel room reported missing bedspread/towels; lamp cord in the room appeared severed/short by distance to outlet suggesting an extension cord had been removed.
- 2013 testing: Degraded DNA detected on the knot of the extension cord.
- 2023 testing (with improved tech and a dedicated cold‑case forensic scientist): A viable male DNA profile was uploaded to CODIS; a secondary, incomplete contributor profile was also found. This is considered an early success for the cold‑case unit.
- Limitations: DNA on cord indicates someone handled the knot/comforter but does not establish cause of death or whether the death was homicide vs. accidental overdose. Decomposition prevented blood toxicology or other cause‑of‑death determinations.
Investigative issues & missed opportunities
- Initial classification as a runaway delayed active police investigation. The press even noted no missing person report had been filed when the body (Jane Doe) was reported.
- Several local leads (names and car descriptions) were not fully or consistently pursued in the original files; interviews and documentation are sparse for key motel guests.
- Early polygraph entries and minimal paperwork about “Jake” leave unresolved questions about whether investigators missed or mishandled critical opportunities.
Family impact and quotes
- Family: Tyra’s mother Margaret “Parkey” Garcia and several siblings pursued searches and distributed flyers; many family members have since died, leaving only two surviving sisters.
- Long‑term trauma: Sisters describe generational fear and altered parenting behavior; Tanya kept mementos (finger clippings, umbilical cords) out of fear of losing more children.
- Notable quote (Tanya): “I just want to know the details... Who it is and why. Even if it was an accident... what led up to my sister’s demise. All I want to know — who it is and why.”
Current status & what investigators want
- Detective Guy Moody (Ventura County) is actively re‑investigating the case and is attempting to secure interviews with the two motel guests (Jake and Brian) and obtain voluntary DNA comparisons.
- DNA from the extension cord is in CODIS; investigators continue exploring additional testing possibilities (comforter, shoe) to strengthen links.
- Cause of death remains undetermined; any eyewitnesses or new information could be critical.
How to help / contact information
- Ventura County Cold Case Unit: 805‑383‑8739 or coldcase@ventura.org
- Ventura County Crime Stoppers (anonymous): 1‑800‑222‑8477 or VenturaCountyCrimestoppers.org
Main takeaways
- Tyra was likely last seen getting into a tan Monte Carlo/Buick Regal with two men; motel evidence suggests the comforter used to wrap her body came from a nearby Wagon Wheel Motel room occupied by two men who left shortly after her disappearance.
- Early investigative delays and incomplete documentation left several leads under‑pursued.
- Modern DNA testing produced a CODIS‑eligible male profile from the extension cord knot—renewing hope—but it does not by itself prove cause of death or identify a perpetrator; detectives are trying to interview former motel occupants and gather more evidence or tips.
- The family seeks answers more than retribution: the central questions remain “who” and “why” after almost four decades.
If you have information about Tyra Garcia’s disappearance or the persons described in this summary, please contact the Ventura County Cold Case Unit or Crime Stoppers (contacts above).