Overview

On the morning of June 26, 2010, Tarasha left her home between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. She borrowed a friend’s vehicle and planned to visit the Selma Flea Market, a place she reportedly frequented regularly.

Within just a few hours, the vehicle was discovered abandoned along the Cecil Jackson Bypass, not far from the flea market. Family members found items scattered around the truck, suggesting that someone may have searched through it.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Tarasha Benjamin Case:
Alabama Teen Missing Since 2010 as Family Continues Search for Answers

More than fifteen years after Tarasha Benjamin vanished from Selma, her disappearance remains one of Alabama’s most haunting unresolved missing persons cases. Tarasha, known to family and friends by the nickname “Pooh,” was just 17 years old when she disappeared on June 26, 2010.

What began as a routine Saturday trip to the local flea market ended in a mystery that has devastated her mother, Regina Benjamin, and left investigators with more questions than answers.

Today, Tarasha’s case remains active with both the Selma Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which continues to list her as an active endangered missing child case.

Who Is Tarasha Benjamin?

Tarasha Benjamin was a high school student from Selma who was widely described as responsible, well-liked, and closely connected to her family. According to her mother, it was completely out of character for her to leave without contacting loved ones.

At the time she disappeared, Tarasha was:

1. 17 years old
2. Approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall
3. Around 125 pounds
4. Black female with brown eyes and dark hair
5. Known to wear colored contact lenses
6. Identified by a tattoo reading “Pooh” or “Pooh Bear” on her right shoulder

She was last seen wearing blue jean shorts, a turquoise-and-lime-green shirt, gladiator-style sandals, and a silver necklace.

The Day Tarasha Benjamin Disappeared

On the morning of June 26, 2010, Tarasha left her home between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. She borrowed a friend’s vehicle and planned to visit the Selma Flea Market, a place she reportedly frequented regularly.

Within just a few hours, the vehicle was discovered abandoned along the Cecil Jackson Bypass, not far from the flea market. Family members found items scattered around the truck, suggesting that someone may have searched through it.

Tarasha was nowhere to be found.

There has been no confirmed sighting of her since that morning.

Theories and Investigative Leads

Over the years, several possibilities have been explored:

Human Trafficking Concerns

Some family members have feared Tarasha may have been abducted and trafficked. This theory gained attention because she disappeared without taking personal belongings and has never accessed known accounts.

Possible Relationship Connections

Reports have indicated that investigators examined people in Tarasha’s social circle, including individuals she may have been dating.

Out-of-State Sightings

Unconfirmed leads have suggested Tarasha might have been seen in Florida. Her mother traveled repeatedly to investigate these tips, but none were substantiated.

Foul Play

Because her borrowed vehicle was abandoned so quickly and no credible communication has occurred since, many observers believe Tarasha may have been the victim of a crime.

A Family Marked by Tragedy

Tarasha’s disappearance is one of several devastating losses for her mother. Tarasha’s father disappeared years earlier and was later found deceased. Regina Benjamin had also previously lost two daughters in a house fire.

Despite these tragedies, Regina has continued to advocate tirelessly for her youngest child, keeping Tarasha’s name in the public eye and urging anyone with information to come forward.

Latest Investigation Update (2026)

As of 2026, there has been no public announcement of a major break in the case. However, Tarasha Benjamin remains officially listed as an active endangered missing person with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, indicating the investigation is still open and unresolved.

Recent media attention, including a March 2026 feature by Our Black Girls, has renewed public interest and brought fresh visibility to the case. Advocacy groups continue to share Tarasha’s story on social media in hopes that new witnesses or previously withheld information may surface.

Investigators continue to encourage anyone who may know what happened on June 26, 2010, to contact law enforcement.

How to Report Information

Anyone with information about Tarasha Benjamin’s disappearance is urged to contact:

1. Selma Police Department — (334) 874-2134
2. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Missing Persons Unit — (800) 228-7688

Case Number: 10-0627002 (Selma Police Department)
ALEA Case Number: 14630

Why Tarasha Benjamin’s Story Still Matters

Tarasha Benjamin’s disappearance highlights the enduring pain families face when a loved one vanishes without explanation. More than a decade later, her mother continues to search for answers and believe that someone knows what happened that summer morning in Selma.

If Tarasha is alive, she would now be in her early 30s.

Her family has never stopped hoping for the truth.

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Facebook Post:

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧

Seventeen-year-old Tarasha Benjamin left her Selma home on a summer morning in 2010, planning to go to the flea market in a borrowed truck.

Somewhere along the way, something happened.

The vehicle was later discovered abandoned on the Cecil Jackson Bypass with broken windows, damage to the driver’s side, and signs that it had been searched through. Tarasha and her cell phone were gone.

For nearly fifteen years, the circumstances surrounding her disappearance have remained unanswered.

Somebody may still remember seeing Tarasha that morning, noticing the truck, or hearing details that never made it to investigators. Even information that feels small today could help piece together what happened to her.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Tarasha Benjamin, please contact the Selma Police Department at 334-876-1259.

Because someone out there still holds a part of this story.