Independence woman disappeared a year ago; New reward offered for arrest of her killer
Detectives hope additional reward money and new information will help solve the mystery surrounding the homicide of a woman whose remains were found in rural Clay County a year ago.
Forty-five-year-old Alesha J. Reade disappeared a year ago Wednesday from Independence and her remains were found two days later in rural Clay County. Her death was immediately classified as a homicide.
“This murder has weighed on our investigators and our community for a year,” Sheriff Will Akin said. “We have never stopped working this case, and we will continue to do so until justice is served, and Alesha’s family has closure.”
Reade was last seen alive about 8:40 p.m. Feb. 9, 2021, at the Fav Trip gas station at 10507 E. 23rd St. in Independence.
In newly released information, detectives are saying that she was last known to be a passenger in a dark-colored Volkswagen Passat.
Reade was reported missing in Independence two days later. That same day, Clay County Sheriff announced that deputies responding to a call about human remains being found had discovered a body near Cameron and Easley roads, north of Missouri City in rural Clay County.
The medical examiner confirmed the remains were human and the homicide appeared to have occurred “very recently,” the sheriff’s department said at the time. It wasn’t until about a week later that the human remains were confirmed as Reade’s.
Reade’s family is offering a $5,000 reward, in addition to a $2,000 reward offered by the KC Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline, for information leading to an arrest of her killer. Her family misses her and is seeking closure, the sheriff department said in a news release.
Anyone with information about her death is asked to call Clay County Sheriff detectives at 816-407-3723 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 9:24 AM.
