Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit Solves 22-Year-Old Missing Persons Case

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit has solved the missing persons case of Brian Nez. Nez, a 19-year-old Native American male from Flagstaff, had been reported missing by his family on October 25, 1994.

The information from the initial investigation found that Nez was believed to have last been seen at a party in Winslow, AZ in August or September of 1994. The case went cold after several people were interviewed and no information developed as to his whereabouts. Nez was entered as missing in the national computer database used by law enforcement.

In Spring 2015, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit brought on volunteer Jana White, retired from NAU Police and Flagstaff Police Departments, to review unsolved missing person cases. Nez’s case was re-opened in March 2016. Investigator Jana White entered Nez into a new database called NamUS (http://namus.gov/about.htm), a website that has developed largely over the last ten years to improve information sharing on missing and unidentified persons throughout the United States. NamUS responded with information that an unidentified victim of a fatal vehicle-pedestrian traffic accident had a similar description to our missing person case. The vehicle-pedestrian accident had occurred in Navajo County about 2 miles north of Winslow, AZ in August 1994. Based on this, further investigation by the Cold Case Unit found that the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office had performed the autopsy on the unidentified pedestrian victim for Navajo County.
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Missing 70 Year-Old Linda Schleizer Found Deceased

ASH FORK — On July 30, 2016 search teams from Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue were conducting a follow up search for 70 year-old Linda Schleizer in the Juniperwood Ranches area. At approximately 9:00 am, one of the search teams located the deceased body of Ms. Schleizer. The team called Coconino County Sheriff’s Office to respond to the scene. The body of Ms. Schleizer was located approximately ¾ miles to the east of the residence under a juniper tree in a shallow wash area. A Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputy and detective responded along with personnel from the Coconino County Office of the Medical Examiner to conduct the death investigation.

The search for Linda Schleizer has been led by a joint effort of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Other agencies that assisted included Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Wing Civil Air Patrol, Kaibab Estates West Fire Department and Ash Fork Fire Department.

The search for Linda Schleizer began on the afternoon of July 16, 2016 after her husband reported her missing from their home. Ms. Schliezer was 70 years old and suffered from Alzheimers; she was known to walk around the family.

A Silver Alert was issued and search teams were activated the day she was reported missing. The active search continued through the evening of July 19 when it was transitioned to continuous limited status. Follow up search searches were conducted in the area on July 23 and again on July 30 when her body was located.

Elderly Woman Missing Outside Ash Fork

CORRECTED: 7/17; 21:08
Missing Person Schleizer 3Ash Fork — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the assistance of the public in locating a missing 70 year old woman.

The Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting a search operation for the missing woman, 70 year old Linda Schleizer. Schleizer walked away from her home outside Ash Fork around 4:00 PM today and never returned home. Schleizer suffers from severe Alzheimer’s and when stressed, she has a tendency to withdraw and may have panic attacks. Schleizer will not answer to her name when called.

Schleizer commonly walks around the family’s property and normal returns home. She had been an avid hiker, and it is unknown how far she may walk. The family home is about 8.4 miles North West of Ash Fork and about 4.7 miles north of Interstate 40.

Schleizer is 5 feet 6 inches tall, 108 pounds, brown hair with hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a burnt orange shirt, purple shorts, gray Skechers tennis shoes and wearing prescription glasses.

The search is being conducted by Coconino County with assistance from the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger Helicopter out of Flagstaff and Kaibab Estates West Fire Department.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Schleizer, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office as 928-774-4523.

Local resident asking for assistance in locating missing teen

13427915_1325022454191867_5769990726795733846_nWILLIAMS — Local resident Autumn Mitchell is asking the assistance of the public in locating her granddaughter, Samntha Reis—aka Sammi.

Samantha has been missing four-days and was last seen in the Flagstaff area. There is some evidence that she may be attempting to get transportation to Tuscon, Arizona with an ultimate goal of Seattle, Washington.

Samantha is 17-years-old, weighs approximately 98-pounds, is approximately 5′ 5″ with dishwater blonde hair.

Anyone with information can call Autumn at 928-592-7727 or contact the Flagstaff or Williams police departments. She would appreciate if you call only with verifiable evidence as to the location of Samantha.13428357_1325022917525154_35462566357655912_n

Coconino Sheriff seeks missing teen

shaylee-phillips-1NAME: Shaylee Sue Faith PHillips
RACE: Black
GENDER: Female
AGE: 15
HEIGHT: 5’ 4”
WEIGHT: 140 pounds
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Black, curly hair
TATOOS: face with owl on right forearm

Shaylee Phillips was last seen at her residence in Doney Park on May 10, 2016 and is believed to have left her residence that night. She may be in the Flagstaff or Phoenix areas.

If anyone has seen or has information about Shaylee Phillips please contact Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness 928-774-6111

Multi-Agency Search for Missing Camper in Oak Creek Canyon

image004Oak Creek Canyon — On Friday, May 6, 2016 at about 9:07 am 911 dispatchers received a call from an individual who identified himself as the campground host for the Pine Flat Campground located in Oak Creek Canyon. According to the caller an adult female who was camping by herself failed to check out of her camping space as she was scheduled to do. The host identified the missing camper as fifty-nine year-old Debra Ann Schwartz of Tempe, Arizona.

Upon the Deputies arrival at Pine Flats they found the missing person’s vehicle and her assembled tent and other camping equipment. It appears that Debra Schwartz left her campground for an unknown destination and failed to return as scheduled.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Command Staff, Deputies and Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue personnel are conducting an intensive ground search aided by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Helicopter based in Kingman, AZ. Although the helicopter crew has conducted multiple flights in the area they have not detected the presence of the missing person. Sheriff’s Detectives are conducting a parallel missing person investigation in an attempt to determine the circumstances leading up to Debra’s disappearance.

Anyone with information regarding the current location or the circumstances leading up to Debra Schwartz’s disappearance are urged to immediately contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s department asking assistance in locating missing person

image004NAME: Debra Schwartz
RACE: White
GENDER: Female
AGE: 59
HEIGHT: 5’4”
WEIGHT: 160
EYES: Green
HAIR: Brown

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is seeking any information about the location and welfare of Debra Schwartz. She was last seen on the morning of May 4, 2016 at Pine Flat Campground in Oak Creek Canyon. Debra did not check out of the campground as expected and there is concern for her welfare. If anyone has information about Debra Schwartz please call 1-800-338-7888. It is unknown what clothing she was wearing at her disappearance.

Missing Person Lawrence Byrne

lawrence-byrneLawrence Byrne was reported missing by his brother Shawn Byrne to both Phoenix PD and Scottsdale PD. Scottsdale PD has entered him into the Arizona criminal justice database as a missing person. Family is concerned that Lawrence may be suicidal. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted because there is the possibility that Lawrence may be in Northern Arizona near Williams. He is believed to be driving a white Volkswagen Toureg SUV with Arizona plates of BRC2028. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Search and Rescue have conducted some ground and air searches with negative contact with Lawrence or his vehicle. If anyone has information about the whereabouts of Lawrence Byrne or his vehicle, they are urged to contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888.

Missing man may be in Flagstaff

Untitled-1FLAGSTAFF — On October 8, 2015, 72 year old David Chester Scanlin was reported missing by his daughter (Erin Thein) who lives in Oregon. She said that David is possible in the Flagstaff area with a female named Cynthia Lee. David may display signs of early dementia. Erin last spoke with David on Cynthia’s phone in mid-September 2015 where David said that he and Cynthia were in the Flagstaff Area and were looking to purchase an older RV to live in.

The couple may be in a 1991 Blue or Green 1991 Chevy Corsica with AZ ALA8506. This vehicle is registered to Cynthia. Cynthia also is registered to a 1972 RV. The make is “FROLI” and has an Arizona license plate of AZ 06565C.

David has been entered into NCIC (nationwide data base) as a missing person. If you have any information regarding this person please contact Detective Carlson at 928 679-4060. If you have any information regarding a felony crime and do not want to leave your name, please contact SILENT WITNESS at 928 774-6111.