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Murdered

Sonya Dye

A woman's remains are found next to railroad tracks in Tampa, FL

  • Last updated: July 28, 2022
  • Tampa, FL
  • September 6, 1985

Overview of Sonya Dye

Tragically, there is very little media reporting on Sonya’s life or death.

We do know that Sonya Dye was a 22 year old mother to two children, one son and one daughter, living in Tampa, FL at the time of her death.

Sonya left her home on the evening of September 6, 1985.

On the evening of September 6, 1985, Sonya Dye was last seen leaving her home in Tampa, FL around 9:00 pm that evening. It isn’t known where Sonya was going or why.

The following day, Sonya’s remains were discovered.

Sonya’s remains were discovered the next day, September 7, 1985, by a teenage boy walking along railroad tracks in Tampa, FL. According to authorities, Sonya’s nude, badly decomposed body was located in a grassy area next to the railroad tracks. At the scene, authorities noted suspicious car tracks in the road near where Sonya’s body was found, but they were not able to find the vehicle or any other evidence.

Car tracks found at the scene where Sonya's body was found.

The investigation begins.

Officials were unable to determine Sonya’s cause of death or her manner of death, due to her level of decomposition, so her case was listed as an unexplained death, though investigators began investigating the case as a homicide.

“We have an unexplained death, but we’re treating it as a homicide” - John Barker, former Tampa Police Department spokesman.

Where the case stands today.

This year marks the 37th anniversary of Sonya’s death, and it seems that investigators are no closer to answers than they were 37 years ago. If you have information regarding Sonya's case, please contact the Tampa Police Department at (813) 276-3582 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 873-TIPS (8477).

Information

  1. Date Missing:September 6, 1985
  2. Date Found:September 7, 1985
  3. Birthday:May 24, 1963
  4. Age at Incident:22
  5. Race:African-American / Black
  6. Gender:Female

What's Left to be Uncovered

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