An expected family visit never happened, and months later Tameka Norris’s relatives were trying to locate her on a remote piece of land in northern New Mexico.
The 45-year-old was supposed to fly from North Carolina to Columbus, Ohio, in June 2023 to celebrate her mother Shelia Wells’s birthday. Tameka missed the flight and called Wells to say she still planned to make the trip, but she never arrived. By that fall, she was living in the Tres Piedras area.
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Her family did not immediately lose touch with her. Tameka continued to communicate with her mother and her aunt, Kitty Harris, on Facebook until October 14, when she blocked them both. The New Mexico Department of Public Safety lists that date as the day Tameka went missing from Tres Piedras. Reports on the case indicate there was activity on her Facebook page as late as October 20, although her relatives had not heard directly from her.
Then, Sheila learned that her daughter had purchased land in Tres Piedras Estates, an isolated area near the Taos and Rio Arriba county line. That property would become an important part of the search after communication stopped. Wells eventually asked authorities to check the area, but Tameka was not there. A missing person report was filed in November 2023, and she has not been located.
A Welfare Check Found Tameka’s Property Empty
According to The Charley Project, the property appeared to have been unoccupied for some time, leaving investigators without a clear indication of where she had gone next.
The purchase itself had already worried Sheila. The small parcel lacked basic utilities or a residence, although Tameka had previously talked about living in a tent or a vehicle. Wells later said the family questioned why she had bought the property and wondered whether she fully understood what she was purchasing. Reporting on Tres Piedras Estates has also noted that some parcels are occupied off-grid and that informal or questionable property transactions have occurred in the area.
Her Mother Feared Tameka Needed Medical Help
The silence worried Shelia for reasons beyond how long her daughter had been gone. Tameka had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in 2018 and was prescribed medication, but her mother said she did not take it consistently. She also told reporters that Tameka had cut contact with relatives before, though never for a period approaching this long. The Charley Project also notes that Sheila hoped to pursue guardianship if Tameka could be found and medically evaluated.
Before turning to missing person organizations for help, Sheila contacted authorities in Columbus, Ohio, as well as a mobile crisis team, hoping either could help locate her daughter. Neither effort produced an answer. Her concern remained focused on finding Tameka safely and getting her evaluated, particularly because the behavior surrounding the move to New Mexico felt unlike the daughter she knew.
Tameka’s aunt has also spoken about the woman she knew before the disappearance. She recalled that Tameka spent months volunteering alongside her at Veterans Affairs, helping veterans move through the facility and reach their appointments. The family has continued searching while the New Mexico Department of Public Safety keeps Tameka listed as one of the state’s missing persons.
Tameka Norris: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Tameka Norris stood at 5 feet 4 inches and weighed approximately 350 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes, wears glasses, and wears her hair in locs. Tameka also has a gap between her front teeth and a mole on the left side of her jaw. She may use the name Israel Peniel.
Anyone with information about Tameka’s whereabouts should contact the Taos County Sheriff’s Office at 575-758-3361 or the New Mexico Missing Person Hotline at 1-800-457-3463. She isn’t listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
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Case Number:
Agency: Taos County Sheriff’s Office
Phone: 575-758-3361
Email:
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