“What Happened to Lulu?”: 22 Years After Her Murder, the Mystery of Lulu Gessler’s Death Still Haunts Tacoma
Tacoma, WA — It has been more than two decades since the tragic and mysterious death of 42-year-old Lulu Gessler shook the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma. But for her loved ones and the investigators who have never given up, the question still echoes louder than ever: What happened to Lulu?
On the night of May 18, 2002, Lulu was last seen walking in the 900 to 1200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way — a stretch of road she likely knew well. It was a warm spring evening, and Lulu, described by friends as vibrant, outspoken, and deeply caring, vanished without a trace into the night. She was seen by a few residents but never made it home.
The very next day, on May 19, 2002, her lifeless body was discovered in an abandoned home on the 1200 block of Sheridan Avenue, just four blocks from where she was last seen. The abandoned house, long a point of concern for the neighborhood due to its neglect and danger, quickly turned into a crime scene.
The autopsy revealed that Lulu had been strangled to death, a brutal and personal method of killing. Police immediately opened a homicide investigation, but despite interviewing dozens of residents and combing the area for clues, no one was arrested, and no persons of interest were publicly identified. To this day, her killer has never been found.
Now, 22 years later, her family and the Tacoma Police Department are still searching for justice — and answers.
“This is not just a cold case. It’s a family’s never-ending nightmare,” said one detective currently reviewing the case. “Someone knows what happened to Lulu. We just need them to come forward.”
Over the years, leads have dried up, and witnesses who may have seen something either moved away or stayed silent. But police believe the answers may still be in the community — in someone’s memory, in a detail someone thought wasn’t important at the time.
Crime Stoppers and the Tacoma Police Department are once again urging anyone with knowledge of Lulu’s movements on that night or any information about individuals she may have been with to come forward. Even the smallest detail could breathe new life into this long-dormant investigation.
Those with information are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.
Lulu’s story has become a symbol for unsolved homicides in Tacoma — a grim reminder of how many families continue to live in limbo, holding on to hope. Each year, her loved ones quietly mark the anniversary of her death, never allowing her name to fade from memory.
She was more than a case file. She was a mother, a friend, a sister. And even 22 years later, the search for justice for Lulu Gessler is far from over.