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Reward offered in 1988 missing case

Brian Walker; Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 10 months AGO
by Brian Walker; Staff Writer
| March 10, 2017 12:00 AM

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This April 11, 1988, edition of The Coeur d'Alene Press had an article on the disappearance of Tina Marie Finley. It appeared after her purse and shoes were found along U.S. 95 south of Plummer.

When Tina Marie Finley's purse and shoes were found along U.S. 95 about 2 miles south of Plummer in 1988, the FBI started investigating her disappearance that had turned suspicious.

Twenty-nine years later on the anniversary of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe member's disappearance, the agency is offering a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to her location.

"We believe the case is solvable and that there's someone out there who has information," said Sandra Barker, FBI spokeswoman. "We have been actively working this case and are committed to solving it to bring resolution to her family."

No arrests have been made in the case.

Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan said he hopes the renewed attention to the case will bring new information to light.

"We truly feel for the family and can’t imagine what they’ve gone through since losing Tina all those years ago," Allan said. "We urge anyone with information to come forward with the hope that the case can be solved and the family can finally have some closure."

Finley went missing on March 8, 1988. She was 25 and living in Worley at the time. She was last seen in the Plummer area. Finley would be 54 today.

"The investigation suggests she was a victim of foul play," an FBI press release states.

Barker declined to comment on specifically why the FBI believes there was foul play, citing the ongoing investigation.

According to a story in The Coeur d'Alene Press on April 11, 1988, the discovery of Finley's purse and shoes led to Tribal police organizing about 50 people to search the highway and backroads near Plummer for her.

"There are suspicious circumstances involved in her disappearance," said Rich Wold, who worked in the FBI's Coeur d'Alene office at the time.

In the story, Wold said members of Finley's family reported her missing on March 23, 1988, when they became suspicious something had happened to her.

"She's been known to take off, but not this long" without telling somebody where she was, Wold said in the article. He said Finley apparently disappeared without taking any additional clothing or baggage from her home.

The FBI became involved in the case with Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police when Tribal police found Finley's purse and shoes on April 8, 1988.

Finley was described as 5-foot-6 and 135 pounds with brown eyes and long, curly brown hair.

"We would like to speak with anyone who has information about Tina's disappearance or details that can help bring resolution and long-awaited justice for her family," said FBI Special Agent Kevin Dunton.

Finley is the Tribe's only missing persons case that hasn't been closed.

Those with information are asked to call the FBI's Salt Lake City office at (801) 579-6636.

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