True Crime Chronicles: Missing lifelong friends and a ten-year-old mystery out of Pulaski County

On a cold January day in 2014, two childhood friends vanished, leaving behind children, families, and a trail of haunting questions. More than a decade later, the cases of Shequenia Burnett and Terkessa Wallace remain unsolved, their stories etched into the heart of a community still searching for answers.

Shequenia Burnett, 36, and Terkessa Wallace, 34, had been inseparable since childhood. On January 10, 2014, both women disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Shequenia was last seen on January 9, and her mother reported her missing six days later. Terkessa was reported missing the following day, after failing to return for her 5-year-old son.

Initially, police treated the cases separately. But cell phone records revealed that the women were in contact on the day they vanished, and their phones pinged off the same tower shortly before all activity ceased.

In December 2015, a fisherman found a human leg in the Arkansas River near the Big Dam Bridge. DNA confirmed it belonged to Shequenia. No other remains were recovered, and the cause of death remains undetermined. Terkessa’s car--a white 2009 Toyota Corolla--has never been found.

Loved ones describe Shequenia as a talented sketch artist and devoted mother. Terkessa was remembered for her infectious laugh and fierce loyalty. Both women had faced personal struggles, including drug addiction and domestic issues, but their families insist it was uncharacteristic for them to disappear without contact.

Despite the passage of time, hope persists. Terkessa’s daughter gave birth to her first child in 2017, and her cousin continues to raise her son. Shequenia’s family wears her ashes in a necklace, a symbol of remembrance and resilience.

North Little Rock Police have not publicly named any suspects. The physical case file remains on the desk of Chief Mike Davis--a reminder that these women are not forgotten.

If you have any information about the disappearances of Shequenia Burnett or Terkessa Wallace, please contact the North Little Rock Cold Case Division at (501) 812-2591.