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Woman missing, witness dead, 10-year search continues

"It's kind of disturbing and nerve-wracking cause you really want to know what happened," said Brian Gray.

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Repository for Unidentified and Missing Persons reports that there are nearly 500 people missing in the state.

More than 40% are people of color. Rita Shaw is on that list.

Her family has only a few details on how she became one of the missing in Louisiana, and they said they're hoping for help.

"A week ago they give my sister a jury summons. I showed mom, 'Like what? How can they do that and she's been missing,'" said Brian Gray, Rita's older brother.

On April 1, 2011, Rita Shaw, vanished.

"I had heard that she had disappeared, and she might be dead," said Natalie Shaw, Rita's mother.

Natalie Shaw wasted no time. She went to the New Orleans Police Department to see if anyone had heard anything about her daughter's disappearance.

"But, nobody had heard anything, and to this day, nobody still hasn't heard anything," said Natalie Shaw.

There aren't many details about Rita's disappearance. The New Orleans East woman was here and then, suddenly, she wasn't.

"It's kind of disturbing and nerve-wracking cause you really want to know what happened," said Brian Gray.

Rita suffered from schizophrenia. When she wasn't on her medication, she and her boyfriend, Michael, dabbled with drugs and alcohol.

"She had her little vices, but she was a solid person. She would give you the shirt off of her back," said Brian Gray.

Rita and Michael did frequent the area not far from Michael's home. He was the last person to allegedly see Rita. 

Unfortunately, three years after she went missing Michael was beaten to death in the same area where they hung out.

"It wasn't a good area at all. We have no closure because your possible key witness is also deceased," said Brian Gray.

Gray waited for the detectives to do their work but with Michael gone, he decided to look into his sister's disappearance himself, using his contacts as a former sheriff's deputy in Alabama where Michael once lived.

Rita's family said neither they nor the police believes Michael had anything to do with her disappearance, but the chance to question him is gone forever.

10 years have passed, and the case has gone through the hands of two detectives, and still, there are no answers.

"We keep walking around with this void that hasn't been filled yet," said Brian Gray.

The family said, they haven't heard from anyone from the Seventh District New Orleans Police Department for almost five years.

"I think the detective did what he could, but they could've come and said 'Hey, guys. We're still rockin' and rollin'. Just give me some time,'" said Brian Gray.

Leaving them with more questions than answers and the feeling that Rita's disappearance has been forgotten.

"If you don't have a lot of money, oh yea we search, and alright bye," said Brian Gray. All we want to hear from the coroner's office is, 'Hey, we found the body, we think. We're doing an autopsy. We did the test on it. This is her.'"

All that's left are the memories the joy from the past and the hope that Rita is out there, somewhere.

"They just give up. You don't ever really give up," said Rita's family.

WWL-TV reached out to the Seventh District New Orleans Police Department directly. 

NOPD's Public Affairs Division released the following statement:

"Beyond the initial police report, we do not currently have any additional information we can provide. However, we continue to search for any updated information and provide it to you as soon as we can."

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