Family of Missing Guilford Tech Student Left Desperate for Answers|Tyarra Williams

0:00 The frigid air of a January night in 2016 enveloped the serene atmosphere of a Greensboro, NC, apartment complex as if whispering secrets. But one thing was certain. Tyra Williams, a remarkable young woman of only 19, had disappeared. Without a trace. The lingering sound of her laughter haunted those who knew her. Her dreams and aspirations were now intertwined with the enigma of her vanishing. The unsettling silence that followed her disappearance was louder than any spoken word, a deafening testament to her mysterious. Departure. And an immediate call to action.

0:41 For those who loved her. Welcome to No Tears. For black girls. A true crime series created, written and produced by award-winning writer Jon Reedberg and hosted by Samantha Paul. Tiara was born on June 18th, 1996 and grew up in a loving and tight knit family. Her nurturing nature was evident from a young age, with her taking on a motherly role to her younger brother Cannon, even as she. Grew older tiara. Remained empathetic and caring towards others, sometimes sacrificing her needs to avoid conflict when her parents divorced when she was seven years. Old Tiara stepped up to help.

1:22 Her single mother, which continued into her teenage years. She excelled in school and knew what she wanted to do with her. Life after. Taking an early childhood education class in her junior year, she was passionate about working with children. Especially those with disabilities. And worked. Hard to achieve her goals. While also maintaining a. Busy social life, however, there were. Occasional clashes between Tiara and her mother. Over rules. Regarding social media usage in senior year. Tiara decided to live. With her grandmother Vanessa at the same apartment complex where her family resided, this was not due to any major disagreement, but simply a mutual agreement that seemed like a good option at the time.

2:06 She wasn't just moving a few buildings over for the sake of independence, no. It was her duty as a caretaker that drove Tiara. To take in her grandmother. Although her grandmother joked about being loved for her cooking, Tiara's strong familial ties remained unchanged after she settled into her new apartment in 2014. She took a short. Hiatus before starting College in December 2015, enrolling at Guilford Tech with plans to study. Early childhood education. The excitement bubbling within Tayara on January 7th, 2016. As she registered. For classes and obtained her. School ID. Was palpable, something she had been dreaming of since junior year of high school.

2:50 Her passion for caring for others guided. Her career choice? And now, with everything falling into place, she couldn't wait to go shopping for textbooks and supplies the next day with her mother and boyfriend, Aaron, who lived in the same Stony book complex. As they made their way back to her mom's apartment that evening, Aaron joined forces with Cannon to play video games while Tiara took down the Christmas tree that had been promised to be removed by the end of January. She diligently began the dreaded. Task despite its. Universal loathing. She remained in high. Spirits, that's how elated she was with her day's progress. After finishing the Christmas tree tiara, Aaron and Cannon returned to their grandmother's apartment for dinner. As the night wore on, they settled in on the couch for some quality time together.

3:41 While Tiara was. Glued to her phone as usual. The boys watched. Football. However, around 8:30 PM, Tiara suddenly stood up and announced that she was meeting an old friend named Travis. Neither Cannon nor Aaron recognize the name. It seemed that Tiara had never even mentioned this person before, but she assured them she would only be gone for an hour before returning to spend more time with Aaron. The three of them walked out to the parking lot and Tiara set off on foot. She was wearing a pink shirt, black North Face jacket, Levi jeans, Jordan sneakers, and a royal blue beanie when she left. Little did they know she wouldn't make it back home that night.

4:29 After Tiara parted. Ways with them, Aaron and Cannon returned to their grandmother's apartment to watch. TV before. Going back to Aaron's place to play video games. But as 930 came and went, there was no sign of Tiara. Normally in constant communication with Aaron via text, the silence was unsettling. Perhaps Cannon went home at this point and Aaron decided to stay at their grandmother's apartment to wait for Tiara as planned, but she never showed up. Over the next few hours, Aaron repeatedly called and messaged. Her but all. Attempts went straight to voicemail. He drifted off to sleep. Confident that Tiara would be home by morning.

5:12 But when he awoke at 7:00 AM for his appointment, her absence was still palpable. Despite multiple attempts to reach her, there was no response. As his worry escalated, he rushed. To Tiara's grandmother's house and shared the news that she was missing. Panic immediately set in. Her person ID were left behind as well as her phone charger. It seems she never made it home the previous night and had not packed anything for an extended absence. Tayara's grandmother also tried to contact her with no success, so she alerted Danielle, who knew something was wrong because. Tayara was always. Responsible and in constant communication with her loved ones, her phone was essentially glued to her hand and she always. Carried a charger.

6:02 The fact that her phone was dead and she didn't bring a charger. Raised red. Flags for Danielle By noon, when Tiara still hadn't returned, Danielle sought out Aaron for answers since he had been one of the last. People to see her. He mentioned Tiara had plans to meet up with someone named Travis, whom he assumed was a long time family friend, but Danielle claimed they knew no one by that name. In a desperate attempt to find answers, Danielle scoured. Tiara's Facebook. Profile and friends list but found no one matching the name of Travis. She then turned to private messages and discovered Tiara had been secretly communicating with an ex-boyfriend throughout the week leading up to her disappearance. It became clear that this mysterious. Travis was likely.

6:49 Just an alias. For her ex. Boyfriend whom her family did not approve of due. To his bad. Reputation despite initially being drawn to him for. The thrill factor. Tayara eventually wanted nothing more to do with him. As their values clashed, however. It seems he continued to pursue her relentlessly in hopes of winning her back. In her mother's words, every time they thought this man was gone for good, he would unexpectedly. Resurface. The messages between Tara and her ex. Revealed that she. Was never the one initiating contact. He relentlessly. Pursued her. And being the kind hearted person she was. It was difficult.

7:30 For her to completely ignore him, she held on to a naive hope. That she could. Still be friends with everyone. But he wouldn't take the hint and continue to linger. It was concerning considering he may have been the last person to see her. Before she disappeared. Her family clung to the belief that she had simply run off without telling anyone, maybe to a friend's house. But by 8:00 PM that night, when there was still no sign of her, Tiara was reported missing to the Police Department in Greensboro. The police arrived. At the apartment complex immediately and also felt that something wasn't right.

8:12 Just earlier that day. Tiara had been excited about starting school again. It took a lot of effort to get. Everything sorted out, she had been seen with several friends who all. Agreed that. She seemed happy. Combined with leaving all of her belongings behind, a runaway situation didn't seem likely. Tayara. Had a strong relationship with her family and no issues with anyone else, so her mother shared with the. Police about this Travis. Guy and how she believed. He was actually Tayara. 'S ex-boyfriend. She showed them all of their Facebook messages and suggested that he may have more information about Tayara's disappearance the next day.

8:52 While the police. Were obtaining Tayara's phone records and searching for. Her ex. Her. Family took matters into their own hands and began searching for her. They couldn't sit around any longer, hoping she would return on her own. They distributed Flyers. Throughout the Stony Brook apartment complex and spoke to anyone who might have seen or heard from Tiara, but nobody had any recollection of seeing her, how she could have vanished from the parking lot, not even a remote or quiet. Area. Was beyond comprehension. The police had their. Suspicions narrowing down the time frame when Tiara's phone was. Last active. And tracking its movements in the eerie darkness of the apartment complex.

9:36 But just as quickly as it appeared. Her phone went silent, leaving only unanswered questions, and then they finally caught a break. Her enigmatic ex-boyfriend, still unnamed to this day, was brought in for questioning, initially denying any involvement with Tiara. His facade crumbled once confronted with damning evidence from their Facebook exchanges. He spun a wild tale of their brief encounter in the parking lot that night, painting himself as innocent but raising doubts in the minds of those questioning him. As they delved. Deeper into the investigation, even bringing in forensic experts to examine his car for any trace of Tiara's presence. They were left.

10:22 With nothing, With no. Leads or suspects Trey was cleared. Of any involvement and left devastated by the news of Tiara's disappearance. It seemed that everyone close to Tiara had been questioned and ruled out, leaving investigators stumped and grasping at straws. There were no cameras to capture her movements, no car to escape in, no messages to anyone else asking for help. She was mere yards away from her own home. What could have possibly? Happened in such a short amount of time, the chilling question lingered, haunting those involved in the case as they frantically searched for answers in this seemingly impossible mystery in a flurry.

11:04 Of activity the. Case was handed over to the Crimes Against Person Squad on January 11th. The very day. Tyra Williams was supposed to embark on her college journey. Residents were interviewed and every inch of the surrounding. Woods, creeks, culverts were meticulously searched. For any sign of the missing 19 year old. Despite numerous sightings reported by residents in the community, including one from a tired sanitation worker who claimed to have seen a disoriented girl in High Point, NC, Tayara remained elusive. Meanwhile, her family and friends clung to their faith and tirelessly spread. Word of her. Disappearance. Through billboards, Flyers.

11:47 And social media. Posts the search. Continued with no updates from Greensboro. PD. But the family refused. To lose hope. As they waited anxiously for any news, they leaned on each other and their belief in miracles, hoping that this day would bring a miraculous reunion with Tiara. The distance between High Point and Greensboro is a mere 20 minutes, or about 17 miles. This. Would be the first major city one would encounter on the Westward Hwy. from Greensboro but for. Tiara to. Reach this point, she would have needed someone else's assistance. Another possible sighting of her in Greensboro was reported by a woman on textile. Drive.

12:29 Just 8 miles from her apartment. However. This road was simply a quiet residential area, and it seemed unlikely for anyone to be walking there unless they live nearby. Although these sightings were never confirmed, they left family members grappling with a terrifying possibility. That Tiara had. Fallen victim to human trafficking. Now, Greensboro itself is not without its dangers as crime rates. Are relatively high. In certain areas, what's more concerning is the prevalence of major highways near the complex. Where Tiara lived. Making it an ideal. Spot for traffickers. And if that wasn't chilling enough, there was another tip that surfaced claiming that Tiara's body could be found in the back of a. Tractor trailer.

13:12 At a nearby. Lot police. And her family wasted no time searching every trailer on the lot, but unfortunately came up empty handed. It's unclear. If this was just a. Cruel prank or a mistaken report, but either way, it must have been excruciating for her family to comb through such a distressing scenario on February. 8th. Authorities returned to the vicinity of Tiara's complex for another thorough. Search. With no leads pointing them elsewhere, it appeared increasingly likely. That foul. Play was involved in her disappearance as searches continued into spring after. Culverts thawed out. Family members kept her memory. Alive through Facebook.

13:54 Posts and Flyers Then came a shocking development at the end of February. Tiara's ex. Boyfriend Trey was found. Fatally shot outside. His own apartment. The. Tragic turn of events forced investigators and loved ones to consider. The possibility that the two. Cases were connected. Perhaps she was. Embroiled in something? Or he had. Discovered damning information. The thought. Was chilling. It could be that. She was caught up in something sinister, or he had stumbled upon a dark secret regarding her disappearance. His housemate met his untimely end over a petty argument, but it only served as another painful reminder of Tiara's absence. She couldn't attend the funeral of someone. She deeply cherished.

14:42 The following months were subdued with minimal leads and hindered search efforts due to inclement weather. But everything changed in April 2016 when Danielle received an unexpected Facebook message that reignited the investigation. The message came from a server. At a waffle. House in Jessup, Georgia, nearly 400 miles from Greensboro. If trafficking was involved, it wouldn't be surprising for Tiara to end up. There the server. Claimed to have seen tiara several times with a group of. People. But it seemed like she didn't belong with them. She appeared uncomfortable and distant, avoiding eye contact and not interacting with the others. Tiara's grandfather, Daryl.

15:26 Immediately drove 6 hours to Georgia. Upon hearing this information, he. Staked out the Waffle House for days. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Tiara and bring her home. However, the. Person never returned. Despite this, set back the server. Remained adamant that she had indeed seen tiara and urged. Darryl to keep. Searching the area. Darryl took Flyers. With Tiara's information to nearby businesses and hotels, and one manager reported seeing a man frequently coming in with young women who resembled Tiara. This man was known as a pimp in the area. Police were alerted about these. Potential sightings and they questioned him and the girls he was seen with.

16:09 In the end, it turned out not to be Tiara. But rather a girl who? Bore a striking resemblance to her. As. Reports of sightings flooded in from the local Waffle House and hotel. It was all just a cruel trick played by A. Doppelganger. But the community's relentless efforts to find Tiara, even from far away, gave me a glimmer of hope for humanity. The tips kept pouring in, some suggesting she had fallen victim to human trafficking. Sightings came from all corners of the country and various towns. People claim to have seen her in advertisements on Craigslist and other dubious places, yet no one could ever find her. Or verify these leads. And As for those who may have been her? Actual captors.

16:54 They were always on the move, constantly shifting their prey around like pawns on a chess board. In a desperate bid to find his granddaughter, Tiara's grandfather took matters into his own hands. He traversed the nation, visiting known trafficking sites, shady motels and underground dens, fearlessly rubbing shoulders with dangerous individuals and offering generous cash. Rewards. Everywhere he went. Having been a bail bondsman in his past life, he knew that persistence was key. If you keep asking, someone will eventually. Crack so he. Would enter these seedy establishments with bundles of cash in hand, setting a time limit for anyone who may be withholding information.

17:37 Either hand over tiara and claim the reward or lose out on your chance. Forever he was. Convinced she was being held somewhere against her will and the. Authorities supported. Him wholeheartedly. Tiara's family had built a strong relationship with law enforcement. They not only listened intently to their theories and concerns about Tiara's well-being. But also actively. Pursued any. Leads they provided it was hardly a surprise that they. Urged her grandfather to persevere in his search. For tiara, they believed. He had better connections and resources than they did, but despite months of relentless scouring, nothing turned up by the following spring, May 2016. It wasn't until.

18:26 Authorities were able. To conduct more. Thorough searches of. Specific areas including creeks and culverts that any progress was made still. Their efforts? Yielded no results. Credit must be given to their diligence in revisiting. Every possible location. At this point, Tiara's family decided to start from scratch. They combed through every detail again, hoping to find something that may have been overlooked. Perhaps there was someone they hadn't considered before, Ultimately. They asked the police to refocus their. Attention on Aaron, Tiara's boyfriend at the time. It always struck them as odd that he never questioned or tried to prevent Tiara from meeting another man that night. He never asked who the person was or why she was meeting them. This behavior raised red flags.

19:16 For them, did he follow her when Cannon left? Did he see her with another man and become enraged? The possibilities. Were endless. When authorities went back to question Aaron, he was initially outraged at feeling betrayed by Tiara's family. He explained how her disappearance had taken a toll on his mental health and even led him to contemplate ending his own life. Every day was filled with. Sorrow, anger, confusion and guilt for him. He regretted not asking more questions about Travis and not stopping Tiara from going out that night. He couldn't help but dwell on what could have been different if only he had acted differently.

19:58 He made his case to the authorities and her family once again, insisting that he genuinely believed he was calm and agreeable. The perfect boyfriend who didn't possess any jealousy or control. He had faith in her and it. Backfired terribly. Although initially hurt by the family's suspicions and their suggestion to look into him, he understood their concern and cooperated. With the police fully. In the end. They were able. To clear him of any involvement, on June 13th, 2016, a new lead emerged. Possibly the last. Significant tip regarding Tiara's disappearance. This time, it came from a family member who claimed to have seen Tiara in a DMV parking lot in Greensboro. The interaction was strange.

20:47 When the family member called out Tiara's name, the person stopped and turned around, claiming not to know her but offering prayers for her well-being. This raised red flags for authorities. As it seemed, this individual may have known something about. Tayara's whereabouts. After obtaining surveillance footage from the DMV and showing it to Tayara's mother, it was determined that the woman in the video was not Tiara. It was another heartbreaking disappointment in a case filled with potential leads. Despite continued. Efforts from Tiara's family through social media and occasional media coverage. There has been no. Major breakthrough in the case. In the meantime, Tiara's loved ones continue to wait and hope for answers in this ongoing nightmare. Our hearts are.

21:35 Heavy with hope for Tiara's safe return. Thank you for tuning in to No Tears for Black. Girls, this series is skillfully crafted by acclaimed writer and. Producer Jon Reedberg with the. Guidance. Of Unapologetic host Samantha Paul. Catch new episodes every. Tuesday and Thursday. On all major podcast platforms, you can listen anywhere, anytime, and if you truly enjoy our content, please leave A5. Star rating and. Positive review. Remember to stay loved, stay blessed. And stay. Safe.