Tina Marcotte Goes Missing Then Body Found at Friend’s Workplace in Rapid City South Dakota

On June 24, 1994, 30-year-old Tina Marcotte left work after finishing her late shift at Black Hills Molding in Rapid City, South Dakota. She never made it home.

What began as a simple case of a missing person quickly evolved into one of Rapid City’s most perplexing mysteries. Within days, the only known person to have last seen her, Tom Kueter, was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Was Tina the victim of a tragic accident, a crime of passion, or something far more sinister?

Nearly three decades later, the disappearance of Tina Marcotte remains unsolved, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions, suspicions, and eerie coincidences.

Who Was Tina Marcotte?

A Devoted Mother and Hardworking Employee

Born in Manchester, New Hampshire, Tina Marie Marcotte was a mother of three who had spent years building a life with her partner, Patrick Gleason.

Tina worked as a lumber grader at Black Hills Molding, a company that specialized in wood processing for kitchen cabinets and furniture. Her job was physically demanding, but she was respected by coworkers for her dedication and strong work ethic.

She and Patrick had been together for eleven years, raising their three children in Rapid City, where they had a quiet, ordinary life. But that life would be shattered by the events of June 24, 1994.

The Night of Tina’s Disappearance

A Late Shift Turns Into a Nightmare

On June 24, 1994, Tina finished her shift just after midnight, around 12:30 a.m.

As she walked to her 1984 Dodge K-series truck, she made a troubling discovery—her left front tire was slashed.

Who would have done this?

She called her best friend, Vicky Riddle, asking for a ride home. But during the conversation, Tina suddenly said she no longer needed Vicky’s help because a former coworker, Tom Kueter, had arrived and offered her a ride home.

That was the last time anyone heard from Tina Marcotte.

The Investigation Begins

A Boyfriend’s Growing Fear

By the next morning, Tina had not returned home.

Her longtime partner, Patrick Gleason, grew increasingly worried. He called Vicky and learned about the late-night phone call with Tina.

They quickly realized that the last known person to have seen her was Tom Kueter.

The Search for Tina

Patrick drove to Tom’s house and asked him if he had seen Tina. But Tom denied giving her a ride, claiming he had been at a softball game that night and later had car trouble.

This contradiction immediately raised red flags.

Patrick and Vicky decided to report Tina as missing to the Rapid City Police Department.

That same day, officers searched the Black Hills Molding parking lot and found Tina’s truck still there, with the slashed tire untouched.

This meant she never drove away from work that night.

Suspicions Surrounding Tom Kueter

A Shifting Story

As police questioned Tom Kueter, his story kept changing.

Initially, he claimed he never saw Tina that night. But then, he admitted to seeing her but said he didn’t give her a ride.

The inconsistencies immediately put him under suspicion.

Suspicious Behavior at Home

Tom’s wife, Nancy Kueter, also provided troubling details. She said Tom returned home around 3:30 a.m. that night—much later than usual.

Even more suspicious, he immediately washed his clothes, including his shoelaces, before going to bed.

Why would someone need to wash their shoelaces at 3:30 in the morning?

Nancy found her husband’s behavior unusual but had no idea that Tina had gone missing until police came knocking.

The Shocking Death of Tom Kueter

A Stunning Twist in the Case

As police prepared to bring Tom in for further questioning, an unexpected event turned the case upside down.

On June 28, 1994, just four days after Tina vanished, Tom Kueter was found dead.

His body was discovered beneath the rear wheel of a forklift at his workplace, Forest Products Distributors.

Accident or Suicide?

At first, authorities believed it was an industrial accident.

But as investigators looked closer, the death began to seem intentional.

Police theorized that Tom had set the forklift in motion, then jumped in front of it to kill himself.

If true, why would he do this just days after Tina’s disappearance?

Had guilt consumed him?

Or had someone silenced him to prevent him from revealing the truth?

The Long-Awaited Discovery of Tina’s Body

A Chilling Find at Tom’s Workplace

For more than a year, Tina’s whereabouts remained unknown.

Then, on October 11, 1995, workers at Forest Products Distributors made a shocking discovery:

A skeleton was found beneath a massive woodpile in an isolated area of the property.

It was Tina Marcotte.

Cause of Death: Murder

The autopsy confirmed that Tina had died from blunt force trauma to the head.

She had not been buried but rather hidden beneath stacks of wood, as if someone had tried to cover up the crime.

Her body had been there the entire time—right at the workplace of the man who was last seen with her.

Did Tom Kueter Kill Tina?

Official Police Conclusion

After finding Tina’s body, authorities officially closed the case, concluding that:

• Tom Kueter murdered Tina after she rejected his advances.
• He hid her body under the woodpile at his workplace.
• He later killed himself out of guilt or fear of being caught.

But not everyone believes this theory.

Was Tom Framed?

Some question whether Tom actually killed Tina or if he was set up.

• Why would he go to work as usual the next day if he had just committed murder?
• Why would he kill himself in such a brutal way?
• Could someone else have been involved?

His widow, Nancy, strongly denies that he was guilty, saying her husband would never have killed anyone.

Conclusion

Despite the official police ruling, many remain unconvinced that the full truth has been uncovered.

While it is possible that Tom acted alone, some still wonder if there was more to the story.

Was Tina killed by someone else, with Tom taking the blame?

Or did guilt push him to suicide, confirming his role in her murder?

Whatever the case, two lives were lost, and Rapid City has never forgotten the mystery of June 24, 1994.

Until new evidence surfaces, the disappearance of Tina Marcotte and the death of Tom Kueter will remain one of South Dakota’s most chilling unsolved cases.