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Missing Spokane teen may be with man she met online

Police are searching for Zachary Wayne Jones, 30, in connection to the disappearance of Kiera Inman, 16. (Courtesy Amber Alert)
Police are searching for Zachary Wayne Jones, 30, in connection to the disappearance of Kiera Inman, 16. (Courtesy Amber Alert)
By Eli Francovich elif@spokesman.com(509) 459-5508

Spokane police are looking for a 16-year-old girl and a man she met online.

Kiera Inman, 16, went missing Monday. She is believed to be with Zachary Wayne Jones, 30.

Inman’s mom, Christi Hiett, said her daughter is a shy, trusting sophomore at Rogers High School.

“I’m thinking she’s probably very scared right now,” Hiett said. “She’s not street smart, and that’s what scares me.”

According to Hiett, Inman left a number of notes at her grandmother’s home, where she lives. The notes detail extensive planning and indicate Inman met Jones online and Jones drove from Virginia because Inman was afraid to fly. The notes explain how Inman would leave her home and get into his car without attracting any notice. The notes also outline plans to live out of the car as they drove across the country, and how Inman wouldn’t exit the vehicle when they stopped.

“He was definitely grooming her,” she said.

Inman is developmentally delayed and appears to have left willingly with Jones, Hiett said. Inman has brown hair and hazel eyes. She is 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds. She was last seen wearing thick-rimmed glasses, with a bright green cast on her right forearm. Jones is described as 5-feet-8 and 118 pounds with blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He is believed to be driving a 1997 blue Acura with Virginia license plate VGD6867.

Inman was last seen at 1712 E. Houghton Court in Spokane.

Hiett said Inman was involved with online communities, specifically of furries, people interested in anthropomorphic animals, dressing up and role playing. Hiett believes Inman and Jones met on a furry forum.

Inman’s phone has been turned off since Sunday and she hasn’t checked any of her social media pages since then, Hiett said. Inman has a rare liver disorder and has depression. About a month ago Inman was thinking about suicide, Hiett said. However, she said, the two talked and she believed Inman was doing better.

Inman took her liver medication with her but did not bring her anti-depressant medication.

“It’s kind of terrifying. I don’t want to believe it’s true,” she said. “She’s always had the best of everything.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Spokane Police Department at (509) 456-2233 or 911.