COLUMBUS, Ohio — Devin “Sacoya” Cooper left her northeast Columbus home last August. She hasn’t been seen since.
Cooper, a transgender woman, is described as 5 foot 5 inches tall, 145 pounds and was last seen near the intersection of her home near Howey Road and Weldon Avenue.
Police say she was headed to a convenience store but never returned. In October, police discovered her vehicle in west Columbus with a different license plate.
According to the agency’s website, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the location of Cooper.
Police have remained mum on what – if anything – they discovered in the car. They declined to provide specifics Wednesday but did say foul play is suspected.
On Wednesday, the Columbus Division of Police were joined by Central Ohio Crime Stoppers and members of Cooper’s family to announce a $10,000 reward for information related to the case.
Det. Charles Radich with the missing persons unit said they’ve conducted some interviews but are still looking for people to come forward because they believe people know something about Cooper.
Bre Belcher, who described herself as a friend of Cooper, asked people to come forward, saying family and friends have endured sleepless nights.
“This is someone’s child,” Belcher said.
Regina Love, who identified herself as Cooper’s birth mother, broke down while speaking from a podium inside police headquarters.
“We really miss her and want some closure. It’s been really hard for me… Excuse me…” she said before walking away in tears.
She later told 10 Investigates the hardest part is “wondering where she is. I know she is no longer with us. But just knowing that someone knows something they are not telling and we want some closure.”
When asked about how the past year has been, Love said: “It’s been hard. Just hard.”
Members of the FBI were present Wednesday but did not speak publicly during the news conference.
Cooper’s case is one of more than 30 cold cases that Radich said the missing persons unit is currently working. Cold cases are defined as those that are more than a year old.
Anyone with information on Cooper's location can contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 (TIPS), visit www.stopcrime.org or download the P3 Tips app on your smartphone.