What Happened To Mariana Tapia, Unsolved Mystery In Orange County

ANAHEIM, CA —It was July 2, 1999. Maiana Tapia, 18, got dressed up and went out for the evening to celebrate a friend's birthday in Pico Rivera. She was last seen at the El Rodeo nightclub dancing with "some unknown men," according to the Anaheim Police department.

Tapia was never seen, alive, again.

One month after her disappearance, an Irvine Company employee made the grim discovery. Tapia's decomposed foot was "sticking out of a brushy area near Gypsum Canyon and Santa Ana Canyon roads," police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said.

Coroners later discovered that she died of "at least one" gunshot wound.

What happened between that night club and the gruesome burial scene remains a mystery.

One year after the discovery of Tapia's body, a woman called with information. She did not disclose her identity, and police are hoping that she'll be brave enough to call again.

Cold case homicide detectives have been reexamining ballistic and DNA evidence, in this case, to generate new leads, according to Wyatt.

"In addition to leveraging new forensic techniques in the case, detectives hope that witnesses who may have been reluctant to cooperate in the past are ready to tell their stories," he said.

Homicide Detail Sgt. Jeff Mundy said that the mystery woman "provided specific information about Mariana's murder.

"We are asking her to have the courage to call us again so that we can bring justice to Mariana and closure to her family," Mundy said.

Anyone with information about Tapia's death was asked to call Anaheim police homicide detectives at 714-321-3669.