Inside the Haunting Unsolved Disappearance of Tera Smith

Was Tera Smith ever found?

No trace of Tera has ever been found, nor evidence to point to what may have happened to her.

Per the California Department of Justice’s missing person site, the 5-foot-7 blonde with blue eyes was last seen wearing a white sports bra, multicolored running shorts, and white and navy Nike running shoes.

“At the time, we really felt satisfied that they were giving it their all,” Terry told Dateline of authorities’ efforts to find Tera. “They brought in cadaver dogs….We have a lake nearby…They nearly drained that lake.”

He continued, “We feel like they really gave it their all for probably six months to a year. And then it was an important case for another year or two. And since then, it’s shelved. It’s completely cold. Stone-cold.”

While Tera’s mom called the realization that she wasn’t coming home “a gradual process,” Terry said he felt like the search was a lost cause after two days.

“I think Marilyn held on to hope far longer than I did,” he said. “I was convinced that she was gone from almost the get-go.”