PHILADELPHIA, PA—Two things are certain about Franchesca “Cheka” Alvarado: she was loved deeply and is missed fiercely.
Her family and friends have spent over a decade refusing to let her memory fade. From rallies to flyers to media outreach, they’ve never stopped fighting for answers. But justice has yet to come.
Franchesca, affectionately known as “Cheka,” was born and raised in Philadelphia. After losing her mother at the age of 9, she leaned even harder on her sisters, Tina and Frances. She adored her young daughter, whom she raised alone, and had plans to enroll in criminal justice courses at a local college.
According to the New Jersey State Police, on March 17, 2012, 22-year-old Franchesca left Philadelphia for a weekend trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a man she knew—Tracey Williams Sr. One day later, on March 18, Tracey returned to Philadelphia.
Franchesca did not.
Her sisters knew immediately something was wrong. She spoke to them every day. When they couldn’t reach her, they found her daughter still with the babysitter and no sign of Franchesca. The family reported her missing and launched a campaign to find her. They flooded social media, posted flyers, held rallies, searched hospitals, and contacted media outlets. Nothing.
Her laptop—believed to be with her that weekend—has never been recovered.
Then, according to the New Jersey State Police, more than a year later, in August 2013, a man fishing at Corson’s Inlet State Park in Ocean City, New Jersey, made a disturbing discovery: an Adidas high-top sneaker with a human foot still inside. A femur and tibia would later wash ashore. Franchesca’s sisters immediately recognized the shoe.
DNA confirmed what they already knew. It was Franchesca.
Still, the medical examiner never released a cause of death, and despite questioning Tracey Williams and her roommate, authorities have not named any suspects. No arrests have ever been made.
Franchesca’s murder remains unsolved. Her family’s heartbreak remains unresolved.
If you have any information regarding the disappearance or death of Franchesca “Cheka” Alvarado, please contact the New Jersey State Police Major Crime South Unit at 609-882-2000, ext. 3353.
For updates and ongoing public awareness, visit The Vivid Faces of the Vanished on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVividFacesoftheVanished/
