Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Shanaz
Sathi Zakia
29
29
5'2 inches
120 lbs
Asian
Female
In the autumn of 2002, a 29-year-old woman named Shanaz Sathi Zakia, known to her loved ones as Sathi, was starting a new chapter in her life in Tukwila, Washington. Originally from Bangladesh, she had been living in the United States for six years and was looking forward to gaining citizenship and helping her family join her. However, this promising future was abruptly cast into shadow when she was last heard from on October 30, 2002. In the weeks leading up to her disappearance, Sathi had taken courageous steps to leave a difficult situation, making the circumstances of her vanishing particularly concerning. Just weeks before she went missing, on October 11, Sathi had separated from her husband of eleven years after reporting to the police that he had sexually assaulted her. She disclosed that she had been a victim of long-term abuse, and this was the first time she had officially reported it. Seeking protection, she obtained a temporary protective order against him on October 17. A court hearing to secure a permanent order was scheduled, but Sathi disappeared just two days before she was due in court. The last contact anyone had with her was a phone call with a friend on the morning of October 30. Her family in Bangladesh also last heard from her on that same day, after she and her husband reportedly wired $1,500 to them. Concerns grew when Sathi failed to appear for her court date. On November 7, 2002, her silver 2001 Lexus was discovered locked and abandoned in an industrial area of Tukwila. There was no sign of Sathi. Back at her home, all of her personal belongings, including her clothing, toothbrush, and important legal documents, were found untouched. Her cell phone and credit cards, which she used regularly, were never used again. Her husband gave conflicting statements, initially claiming he hadn't seen her since October 12, which contradicted a bank teller's account of seeing them together on October 30. While investigators have not named him a suspect, the timing of her disappearance in relation to her legal actions against him is a significant part of the ongoing investigation. The case of Shanaz Sathi Zakia remains unsolved, a painful and lingering mystery for her family and friends. Authorities do not believe she disappeared voluntarily, leaving behind a life she was actively trying to rebuild.
Oct 30, 2002
Tukwila
Washington
Tukwila
Tukwila Police Departmen
206-433-1808
06/01/2026
