Indy woman found dead inside storage tote in wooded area one week after being reported missing

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis mother is looking for answers after a woman was found dead in some woods on Indy’s near southeast side.

The victim’s family said they received a tip that the woman may have been in a wooded area behind a food distribution center on South Keystone.

That family came out to search on Sunday and found the woman dead inside a storage tote.

The woman was identified by family as 36-year-old Tara Capps.

“It’s hard. I don’t wish this on anybody,” said the victim’s mother, Virginia Summers.

Summers said her oldest daughter was identified by her fingerprints.

The family still isn’t sure how long the victim had been in the woods before being discovered.

“She did not deserve it. Anybody that does that is just a monster. It’s just uncalled for,” said Summers.

It turns out, the family had been actively searching for Capps in the area around the woods for a week before the gruesome discovery.

“No family deserves to go through this. This is the worst of the worst that can happen to a family,” said Summers.

“Initially, it started out as a missing persons investigation,” said William Young, an officer with IMPD.

Police reports confirm Capps had been reported missing by her family on June 30.

While police are treating the case as a homicide, they didn’t have any information to share on a suspect or a motive.

“This is an ongoing investigation. Hopefully, as the days progress, we’ll be able to get that information to hold those accountable responsible,” said Young.

“I just hope they find the people that did this. Nobody deserves to be like this ever,” said Summers.

For her part, Capps’ mother pleaded with the public to speak up if they know anything about the unsolved homicide.

“I won’t stop. I don’t care if it’s 10 years or 20 years. I will not stop. Until I die, I won’t stop until we have justice. I will not stop,” said Summers.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Ingram at the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475 or e-mail the detective at Jeremy.ingram@indy.gov .

Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.

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