The Doe Network: Case File 1979DFWA

The Doe Network:
Case File 1979DFWA

Age Progressed
Left: Lyne, circa 1997; Right: Progressed to age 24 years by NCMEC

Katya Marie Lyne
Missing since March 21, 1997 from Federal Way, King County, Washington
Classification: Endangered Runaway

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: November 28, 1981

Age at Time of Disappearance: 15 years old

Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3" (160 cm); 125 lbs (57 kg).

Distinguishing Characteristics: White / Hispanic female of Salvadorian descent. Brown hair; brown eyes. She has Hispanic features, but may appear Asian.

Marks, Scars: Tattoo of three dots on her left hand.

Dentals: X-rays Available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Katya (pronounced Ka-tee-uh) was last seen in Federal Way, Washington on March 21, 1997. Katya was born in El Salvador and adopted by the Lynes as a baby.

Katya's mother also lives in Federal Way, but the teen had been living with her father. Father and daughter were very close.
The night before she disappeared had an argument with her father over her grades at Auburn High School. He had considered placing her in another school, hoping she would do better, but she was opposed to the idea.
Her sister, who had been a student at Seattle Pacific University, stopped by the next morning to say hello and found Katya gone. Pat Lyne reported his daughter as a runaway, and friends and family members began knocking on doors, and made thousands of fliers asking for information about Katya's whereabouts.

On March 25, after Katya disappeared, her father, Pat Lyne, committed suicide. Federal Way police from the start have investigated a possible connection between Katya's disappearance and her father's suicide. But there was no indication that Katya - who lived alone with her father - had been abused. Based on the opinions of family and friends, it was unlikely for her to just disappear.

Katya may be in the Seattle area because she attended a modeling school in downtown Seattle and was familiar with the neighborhoods. There have been unconfirmed sightings of Katya in Seattle, Midway and Puyallup.
There is no direct gang tie.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Federal Way Police Department
253-835-6856

Agency Case Number:
97-4213

NCMEC #: NCMC831557

NCIC Number: M-010739601
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Washington State Patrol
Without a Trace: Missing People
Washington State Missing Persons
The Seattle Times 8/1/97
The New Tribune 7/25/97

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