The remains of an Alaska teenager who disappeared nearly two years ago have been discovered, prompting renewed questions about her death.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the Alaska State Troopers confirmed that human remains found earlier this month in the area of Moose Meadows Road in Wasilla belonged to 18-year-old Anchorage resident Ataja Banks, according to a press release.
“In November 2023, the Anchorage Police Department began investigating the disappearance of 18-year-old Anchorage resident Ataja Banks from the Anchorage area,” the Troopers’ statement said.
“The Alaska State Troopers assumed case responsibility after it was determined that she was last known to be alive in the Mat-Su Valley,” the release added.
The remains were recovered on Sept. 4 and have since been “positively identified as Banks,” officials said. Investigators believe the teenager may have been the victim of a homicide.
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This update follows a previous effort by the Anchorage Police Department (APD) to enlist the public’s help in locating Banks. She was reported missing on Oct. 21, 2023, and her family had last heard from her in mid-September, with her whereabouts unknown at the time.
The APD shared a photo of Banks taken in August 2023, noting she was 5-feet-4 inches tall, weighed 135 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes.
The Alaska State Troopers confirmed that “the Alaska Bureau of Investigation is continuing its investigation into Ataja’s murder,” according to the release.
Officials also stated, “Her next of kin have been notified, and her body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office, which has completed an autopsy.”
The State Medical Examiner’s Office in Alaska, the Alaska Department of Public Safety, and the Anchorage Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
