ABC’s ’20/20: The Girl Who Looked Like Me’ delves deep into the mysterious and complicated 2004 case of Tamika Huston’s disappearance and murder. It was only after a year of investigation that the detectives were able to find the perpetrator responsible for the killing. Although numerous loved ones of the victim make an appearance in the episode, her aunt Rebkah Howard captured the attention of many viewers, mostly because of her significance to the investigation.
Rebkah Howard Tried Her Best to Raise Awareness About Her Niece’s Disappearance
Born in 1972, Rebkah Howard is a Washington DC native and Tamika Huston’s aunt who shared a close relationship with the 24-year-old young woman. In May 2004, when she realized that nobody had heard from her niece for several days, Rebkah was the one who asked the authorities to perform a welfare check at her residence in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The police found nothing suspicious outside her house, but after heading indoors, they found her dog and learned that Tamika had gone missing. Given her connections in the media, Rebkah tried her best to make news outlets cover the disappearance story of the nursing student.
Unfortunately, her efforts didn’t bear any positive results. She believed that it was because of “missing white woman syndrome,” which reportedly highlights the bias of the media between covering missing stories of white women and black women. For months on end, Rebkah hoped that the authorities would locate her 24-year-old niece safe and sound. After going through some of the hardest months of her life, constantly worried about Tamika, the news of the discovery of her remains in 2005 broke her heart. However, she was also relieved upon learning that her niece’s killer, Christopher L. Hampton, would serve the rest of his life behind bars for the crime he committed on May 27, 2004.
Rebkah Howard is the Co-Owner of a PR Company Today
Apart from graduating with a degree in Radio, Television, and Film from the University of Maryland, Rebkah Howard also earned a Juris Doctorate from the Howard University School of Law. The former executive director of the Tamika Huston Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the late Tamika Huston, she is now a member of the Board of Directors of the Black and Missing Foundation Inc. Through her position, she continues to advocate for black women who go missing and are not given extensive media exposition.
Almost two decades later, Rebkah channeled her frustration towards the media outlets and co-produced a 10-part podcast series called ‘Finding Tamika,’ which debuted in 2022. The licensed non-practicing attorney currently works as a publicist and co-owns a public relations firm called ImagePro LLC, which specializes in special events, public affairs, and media relations.
Rebkah Howard Leads a Fulfilling Life in Miami With Her Husband and Kids
In 1994, while Rebkah was still carving her path and working hard to achieve her dreams, she met the love of her life, Desmond Howard, on a blind date in Washington, DC. After nine years of growing in love together, they decided to make their relationship official in the eyes of the law and tied the knot on May 31, 2003. Over the course of their relationship and marriage, they gave birth to two twin sons, Desmond Jr. and Dhamir, and a daughter whom they named Sydney.
Her husband, Desmond Howard, is a former NFL player and a Super Bowl champion who currently works at ESPN as a college football analyst. During his successful football career, he won various individual accolades as well, including the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and the coveted Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award. In 2023, Rebkah and Desmond celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in the company of their children, all of whom have grown up to become spirited and independent individuals who are excelling at life. Having Washington, DC, still very close to her heart, Rebkah resides in Miami, Florida, with her loving family.
Read More: Gabriella Simenehe and Antonia Huston: Where Are Tamika Huston’s Mom and Sister Now?