INDIANAPOLIS — Monday marks three months and one day since a 21-year-old budding entrepreneur went missing in Indianapolis.
About two years ago, Zakchiria Tyler started a lawn care business and it quickly booked up his calendar.
“I mean you have to be proud of him. He’s only 21, has his own business,” his brother, Robert said.
“That was his passion, to build his business up,” his mother, Tiffany added.
The Warren Central graduate's dream has been put on hold since his disappearance on July 30, 2021, the day he went missing.
“You see these things on the TV and movies, but you wouldn’t think it would hit close to home,” Robert said.
Tiffany said that July day started how many did in the weeks before, Zakchiria cut his parent’s front lawn. She said they were texting back and forth and her last communication from her youngest son came in a text around dinnertime.
“I get through this every day because of my relationship with God,” Tiffany said.
Police did find Zakchiria’s car abandoned on 36th and Gale Street, on the city's northeast side. The car now sits in his parent’s driveway. The detective handling the case tells WRTV they have found nothing from the vehicle that has furthered the investigation.
“It’s going to lift a heavy burden off of us to know where he is, or what happened. I don’t want to wish the worst,” Robert said.
The Tyler family said they have heard Zakchiria was seen at The Meadows. They said they heard he was dead in a dumpster and even heard he was seen at the Indiana State Fair.
“Whoever is watching this, if this was your child, how would you react? We’re getting different stories, and they’re lies,” Tiffany said.
Hope is not lost here, but Zakchiria’s brother and mother feel his case — and cases involving Black and Brown missing persons — are often overlooked.
“Every case should be treated the same doesn’t matter, Black, white, Hispanic, everyone should be treated as one,” Robert said.
The family is asking the community to speak up and speak out. They also hope more can be done in the investigation.
“If he doesn’t want to come home, that’s fine, but we need closure. No matter what, say something,” Tiffany said.
Zakchiria Tyler is described as being 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
WRTV spoke with the IMPD detective handling the case on Monday. He said his team continues to look for leads in Tyler’s case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the IMPD Missing Persons Office at 317-327-6160.
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