Police follow leads from psychics in search for Keepness
The Regina Police Service (RPS) has worked with more than one psychic over the years, investigating any tip that might reveal where five-year-old Tamra Keepness disappeared to 17 years ago.
“I think it's safe to say in an investigation like this ... you can't turn a blind eye to anything,” said Chief Evan Bray during an annual barbecue held in Regina's core to raise awareness about the Keepness case.
“That's an important thing to policing,” he said. “In fact, the second you start closing off those options are where you ... run the risk of missing an important piece of information.”
Despite a little bit of thunder and rain early Monday afternoon, a barbecue held in Core Community Park went ahead as planned.
By 1 p.m. there was already a long line up for hotdogs and hamburgers and kids played in the nearby playground as smoke from the grills climbed up to meet with an overcast sky.
In line stood Dawn Keepness, Tamra's grandma.
“Sometimes I wonder about her, what she'd be doing,” said Dawn.
She said Tamra's twin sister just graduated from university. She imagines Tamra, who would be 22 this year, doing something similar. Next to her stood Tamra's great aunt, Marilyn Keepness. The pair of them both hold out hope the extra awareness at this time of year will prompt someone with information to come forward.
Marilyn, who travels a lot for work, says she thinks of Tamra when she drives and sees different landmarks that stand out to her from when they searched for the little girl in the early days. A house here, a body of water or a grouping of trees there. It all triggers thoughts and questions about Tamra.
“I think we all do that. We all see something that will make us think about her and wonder where is she? What happened? And why are people not saying anything if they know something,” said Marilyn on Monday.
But it's not just hopes and prayers that fill the years between barbecues for the Keepness family. Some are still actively searching for answers. As recently as just before the pandemic, Marilyn hired a psychic, who came to her home on Muscowpetung First Nation. Even though Tamra never lived on the reserve, the pair went for a drive to see if the psychic could sense something. This was the third time members of the Keepness family have consulted a psychic, according to Marilyn.
“She kinda had something,” said Marilyn. “I asked her to contact the police ... You never know.”
She's not sure if the psychic ever did, but Bray says the RPS has and will continue to exhaust any lead shared by a psychic related to the case.
“We have used and acted on information from psychics,” he said. “In fact we've done some fairly extensive investigations as a result of information that has come in from someone who brings psychic information.”
More than just family turned out in support of Tamra on Monday.
A couple hundred people from the community, including members
of the RPS which co-hosted the event with Regina Treaty/ Status Indian Services, were in attendance.
Lori C., who declined to provide a last name, came with her two nieces who she cares for.
She also has a 30-year-old daughter.
“It's just sad to say that ... I can't trust my kids to go anywhere without me,” she said when asked what impact Tamra's disappearance has had on the Indigenous community in Regina.
Although she doesn't know the Keepness family, she has attended the annual barbecue since the beginning to show her support.
“I pray for Tamra to come home,” she said. “To find some answers.”
Tamra was last seen around 10:30 p.m. on July 5, 2004, as she was going to bed in her home at 1834 Ottawa St. Bray said the RPS receives several tips every year, but none that have led to a significant break in the case.