Nenomoshia “Neno” Yates was a vibrant 12 year old sixth grade girl at Kelly Miller Junior High School. She was living with her father and stepmother in Washington, DC. Neno just became an older sister, as her stepmother had recently given birth. She was excited to meet the new baby soon and be a big helper.
On October 1, 1971, Neno had gone to the Safeway a block from her family’s apartment in the 4900 block of Benning Road SE around 7 p.m. to buy sugar, flour and paper plates. Neno’s dad needed to be with his wife and the new baby at the hospital.
She left home around 7 p.m. to walk a block to the Safeway, an employee was able to confirm to police the time she arrived and that Neno did purchase the groceries. Neno never made it home, a 16-year-old boy found her still-warm two hours at 9 p.m. later along Pennsylvania Avenue, just east of the District. She had been strangled and raped. Authorities found green synthetic fibers on Yates’s clothing, as in two of the three other cases.
Nenomoshia “Neno” Yates is the fourth of six young black girls who were abducted, raped, and murdered over a 17 month period in one of the most racially divided time.
If you have any information regarding to the abduction and murders of Carol Spinks, Darlenia Johnson, Brenda Crockett, Nenomoshia Yates, Brenda Woodard or Diane Williams please call Metro Police at 202-727-9099 or send an email to unsolved.murder@dc.gov. Reward up to a $150,000 for the arrest and conviction of the killer.
Nenomoshia “Neno” Yates walked to the store and she didn’t come home.
She Didn’t Come Home 
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