Eight-year-old Relisha Rudd vanished from Washington, D.C., on March 1, 2014. Her young life was marked by instability, and at the time of her disappearance, she was living in the D.C. General Shelter, a large but troubled homeless shelter that was shut down in 2018 due to poor conditions. Read more here.
Pictured: Relisha Rudd and Relisha Rudd with Khalil Tatum on March 1st.
A Dangerous Connection
While at the shelter, Relisha’s mother, Shamika Young, formed a questionable relationship with Khalil Tatum, a janitor at the facility. Tatum gained access to Relisha and showered her with gifts, taking her on outings. Around mid-February 2014, Relisha stopped attending school, yet no immediate action was taken to report her missing. Relisha’s grandmother, Melissa Young, later provided school officials with documentation claiming the child was under medical care and being treated by a “Dr. Tatum.” When school staff attempted to contact this supposed doctor, they arranged a meeting—but Tatum never showed up. This raised alarms, leading law enforcement to be notified.
The Investigation Begins
On March 19, 2014, the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C. officially launched a missing persons investigation into Relisha’s disappearance. Shockingly, it took 18 days after her last confirmed sighting for an Amber Alert to be issued. Surveillance footage later revealed that on February 26, 2014, Tatum and Relisha were seen walking together down a hallway at a Holiday Inn Express in Northeast D.C. Days later, on March 1, 2014, additional footage captured them entering a Days Inn hotel room—this is the last known sighting of Relisha. The next day, on March 2, Tatum was seen purchasing garbage bags, lime, and a shovel—a disturbing detail that only deepened concerns about Relisha’s fate.
A Murder, a Manhunt, and a Mystery
On March 20, 2014, authorities discovered the body of 51-year-old Andrea Tatum, Khalil Tatum’s wife, inside a Red Roof Inn hotel room in Maryland. She had been executed with a gunshot behind her left ear. Police found no signs of struggle, leading to the belief that she was murdered silently and deliberately. Ballistics linked the gun to Khalil Tatum, prompting a massive manhunt. The question remained:Where was Relisha?
On March 31, 2014, Khalil Tatum was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens in Northeast D.C. Despite multiple searches, there was no sign of Relisha.
Unanswered Questions and Theories
Relisha Rudd remains missing to this day. If alive, she would be 19 years old.
Theories surrounding her fate continue to haunt the community. Some believe that Tatum was trafficking her, while others fear that he sexually abused and murdered her. Another widely held belief is that Andrea Tatum was killed because she was about to expose her husband’s crimes.Despite years of searching, no definitive evidence has surfaced. The case remains an active investigation with both the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C.
Help Bring Relisha Home
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Relisha Rudd, please contact the FBI or Metropolitan Police Department of D.C.
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