'Very Out Of Character': Friends Of Missing Minneapolis Woman Jessica Marshik Canvas Neighborhood

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Friends of a missing Minneapolis woman are not giving up hope weeks after her disappearance.

Police say 36-year-old Jessica Marshik was last in contact with family on Dec. 14, and hasn't been heard from since.

"Jessica is real lively and energetic. She is passionate and spunky," said her friend Kimberly Milliard.

Nearly a month after her sudden disappearance, friends of Marshik are taking matters into their own hands. They spent Saturday distributing hundreds of flyers around the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood and talking with neighbors.

"For her to just go missing and not communicate with people, very, very out of character," Milliard said.

The 36-year-old's family reported her missing Dec. 19, according to police. Milliard said her family hadn't heard from her in a few days and went to her apartment building where she lived alone to check on her. She said Marshik's car was there, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Her boots, her coat, her keys, her cellphone, wallet, all of it was there, the door was open," Milliard said.

Milliard worked with Marshik at the Racial Justice Network. She said Marshik had been going through a few tough months, which could have made her more vulnerable. As the weeks go on with no updates from police, she said they are growing frustrated with the police investigation.

"There were several neighbors who said to our canvassers, 'We didn't even know she was missing. We had no idea a woman was missing from the building and we live here,'" she said.

Minneapolis police told WCCO the case is "active and ongoing," and that investigators assigned to the case are going through the few leads they have. They added they welcome community involvement and any other help from the public that could lead to new tips and leads.

"Anything can happen to anybody at any time anywhere. It could be you, your friend or your loved one," Milliard said. "So I think as community we need to start caring about each other more and showing up for each other more."

The group is planning to hold a candlelight vigil on Friday, Jan. 14 to mark one month since her disappearance.

Marshik is 5 feet 1 inches tall with a slim build. She has brown hair and often wears glasses. She has a large tattoo of a map on her back.

Investigators say Marshik is known to frequent shops and restaurants along East Hennepin Avenue. They say she recently visited Kansas City.

Anyone who sees Marshik or knows of her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Anonymous tips can also be left online.