Eight years after Trish Haynes’ body was found hidden inside a washing machine, her family is still searching for answers.
Her grandmother, Sandi, reported the 25-year-old missing in the remote town of Grafton, New Hampshire in 2018 after communication with her suddenly changed.
Trish moved in with an old friend in May that year and calls with Sandi went from daily to almost non-existent.
She was reported missing on July 6 and her body was found several months later.
Trish had faced a difficult start to life. Raised by her grandparents after her father died and her mother struggled to care for her, she was described as deeply loving, but also vulnerable and eager to please.
class=”wp-block-heading”>The sudden silence that sparked the alarm
Trish was very close with her grandmother, Sandi, now 74, and her great-aunt Val prior to her disappearance.
She had lived with her grandmother in Florida, so the family quickly grew concerned when communication changed after she moved out.
When those daily calls became infrequent, short and guarded, they knew something was wrong.
Her family had worried in the past about the company she kept, saying she sometimes tolerated mistreatment just to feel accepted.
Trish told her grandmother her phone had been lost, but her family now fear it may have been taken from her, limiting who she could contact.
Her cousin, Carey-Ann Wilson, said: ‘After that communication became even more sporadic until eventually most of the communication was coming from her friend instead of Trish herself.’
Alarm bells grew louder when relatives later discovered Trish had never attended the court hearing she travelled to New Hampshire for.
This was when they contacted the State Police department.
The tip-off that led to a horrifying find
Right at the beginning of the investigation, police received a tip to search Grant’s Pond, one mile from where she was living.
That was where they found a washer and dryer submerged at the bottom containing human remains.
DNA testing confirmed that the jawbone was Trish’s, sparking a homicide investigation.
They asked her family not to publicly reveal that there had been a murder for a year while they continued with their inquiries.
A family’s ongoing fight
Eight years on, the case remains unsolved and Trish’s family is still fighting for justice.
Carey-Ann, 51, said the family has received various tips about Trish’s death and is raising money for a reward.
She said: ‘I was stunned, deeply saddened. I couldn’t understand why anyone would hurt her, kill her – especially in the manner in which they did.’
‘To this day, I just don’t get it. The words, still eight years later, are hard to find. I pray every day that we get justice for Trish.
‘There is someone out there who has the answers, someone who knows more about what happened.’
The mourning continues
Without answers, Carey-Ann says her family cannot find closure.
Carey-Ann said: ‘It’s incredibly frustrating and painful. Time keeps moving forward, but for families like ours, part of you remains stuck in that unanswered space.
‘I think one of the hardest things is knowing someone out there likely knows more than they’ve ever said.
‘Meanwhile, our family has spent years carrying grief, unanswered questions, and the feeling that Trish’s story still hasn’t concluded.
‘At the same time, we refuse to let her be forgotten. That’s why we continue speaking publicly, working with advocacy groups, and trying to bring renewed attention to the case. ‘
The family believe people who were close to Trish at the time hold key information and are urging anyone with even the smallest detail to come forward.
Remembering Trish
Carey-Ann said that Trish had a strong personality and was funny, caring and deeply loved.
She said: ‘When Trish walked into a room, you knew she was there – not because she demanded attention, but because she gave it.
‘She had a way of making people feel seen and important.
‘To us, Trish was never just a case or a headline. She was our family. She was someone whose absence is still deeply felt.
‘And most importantly, I think someone out there likely knows something, and even the smallest piece of information could matter.’
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