Overview

Steele, then 27 and a mother of four, vanished on May 1, 2008, after leaving her home in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood of Schenectady saying she would run errands and return to pick up her young children before a family barbecue. She never made it back.

Schenectady Police and the New York State Police continue to handle the case, treating her disappearance as suspicious and leaning toward the likelihood of foul play. Over the years, investigators have waded through hundreds of tips and leads but have yet to produce conclusive evidence of what happened to Steele.

Detailed Case Breakdown

The Unfinished Search for Lutricia “Trish” Steele

SCHENECTADY, New York — Nearly two decades after she was last seen, the disappearance of Lutricia “Trish” Steele remains an open and active investigation with family and law enforcement still seeking answers.

Steele, then 27 and a mother of four, vanished on May 1, 2008, after leaving her home in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood of Schenectady saying she would run errands and return to pick up her young children before a family barbecue. She never made it back.

Schenectady Police and the New York State Police continue to handle the case, treating her disappearance as suspicious and leaning toward the likelihood of foul play. Over the years, investigators have waded through hundreds of tips and leads but have yet to produce conclusive evidence of what happened to Steele.

Who Was Lutricia Steele?

Steele was described as a White woman approximately 5’4″–5’6″ tall, 100–125 pounds, with naturally brown hair and blue eyes (which she dyed blonde when she vanished). Identifying features include multiple tattoos — notably a tiger on her left ankle, a ribbon with “Shawn” on her left arm, and the name “Kasin” on her chest — as well as ear, nose, and tongue piercings. She went by several names, including Lutricia Zasa and the nicknames “Trish” and “TiTi.”

At the time of her disappearance, Steele may have been pregnant and was receiving disability benefits due to a back injury. Her prepaid phone was still active for a short period after she vanished, though no calls were made from it.

Investigation and Leads

Law enforcement lists the case as open and active, although public updates have been sporadic. In interviews with police as recently as 2023, officials confirmed that:

– Investigators have recorded hundreds of tips and leads since Steele’s disappearance.
– At least one human jawbone was recovered in Schenectady and submitted for DNA testing — a development that raised hopes among family members but has not publicly yielded conclusions.
– Reported sightings through the years — from Syracuse to Puerto Rico — have not been verified.

Police urge anyone with potential information to contact the Schenectady Police Department’s tip line at 518-788-6566.

Family’s Perspective

Steele’s family has maintained that it is out of character for her to leave without contacting loved ones or abandoning her children. Her daughter Rogeana Zasa — who was a young child when her mother disappeared — has said she doesn’t believe Steele left on her own.

Relatives have also participated in community events focused on missing persons and continue to publicize her story in hopes of generating new leads.

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Facebook Post:

Missing Person: Lutricia “Trish” Steele

Lutricia Steele has been missing since May 1, 2008, from Schenectady. Classified as an endangered missing person, Lutricia was 27 years old at the time of her disappearance. Born on January 25, 1981, she is described as a White female, approximately 5’4″ to 5’6″ tall and weighing between 100 and 125 pounds, with blue eyes and naturally brown hair that was dyed blonde when she went missing. She may also use the last names Zasa or Zasa-Steele and is known by the nicknames Trish and TiTi.

On the afternoon of May 1, 2008, around 2:00 p.m., Lutricia left the home she shared with her mother in the 1100 block of Webster Street, saying she would return in two hours to pick up her two young children and attend a barbecue. She was last seen in the area of State Street and Erie Boulevard. She reportedly attended a doctor’s appointment that day and may have stopped by a friend’s house, but she never made it back home and has not been heard from since. Although some reports state she did not have a car at the time, her brother indicated she did own one but chose to walk to her appointment.

At the time of her disappearance, Lutricia was wearing a black sweatshirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. She may have been pregnant and was receiving disability benefits due to a back injury. Her prepaid cell phone disappeared with her; although it remained active for a short period afterward, no calls were made. Her disability checks continued to arrive after she vanished.

Lutricia has several distinctive tattoos, including a tiger on her left ankle, a leopard on her leg, a ribbon with the name “Shawn” on her left arm, the name “Kasin” on her chest, and a flower with writing on the small of her back. She has piercings in her ears, nose, and tongue. Her eyes have also been described as hazel in some reports.

Her life prior to her disappearance had been difficult. She spent much of her childhood in foster care and later faced personal struggles as an adult. She was expected to testify in a rape trial against the father of her youngest child, with proceedings scheduled to begin in May 2009. Notably, he was reportedly incarcerated at the time she went missing. In the weeks before her disappearance, she had asked family members about temporarily caring for two of her four children, but declined to grant legal custody. After she vanished, her older children were placed with their father, and her younger children were cared for by their grandmother. It is considered out of character for Lutricia to leave without contacting her family or abandoning her children.

Her case remains unsolved. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Schenectady Police Department at 518-788-6566.