Amanda Nenigar: Missing California woman, 27, found dead in Arizona after month-long search
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LA PAZ COUNTY, ARIZONA: After an extensive search spanning over a month, the body of Amanda Nenigar, a 27-year-old woman who went missing, was tragically discovered naked and deceased beneath a tree in La Paz County, Arizona.
Nenigar was last seen on February 28, 2024, in Blythe, California, near the border with Arizona.
Amanda Nenigar's terrifying 911 call
She had left a Blythe hotel around 3:44 am on February 27, and later contacted police approximately three hours later, stating that she had gotten lost while driving to Palm Springs, according to reports from Los Angeles Times. During her call to 911, Nenigar said, "I think I fell asleep at the wheel. I was tired, so I went to go pull over, but I think I, like, ran off the road."
Remaining on the line with the dispatcher for nearly an hour, Nenigar provided her coordinates in an attempt to aid in her rescue. However, she also expressed fears of being pursued by individuals intending to harm her.
Amanda Nenigar's tragic disappearance and death
Nenigar's mother revealed that her daughter struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues and was "trying to get through it." "Her mind goes through psychosis when she’s withdrawing or when her body’s detoxing, and I think that’s why she ended up out there," she added.
Following a concerted search effort by the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office, Nenigar's car was located in a remote area on March 12. However, it wasn't until March 29 that her lifeless body was discovered under a tree.
Investigators speculate that Nenigar removed her clothes in an attempt to cool herself down but ultimately succumbed to cold weather exposure, according to KPHO-TV. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause and manner of her death.
"Time is critical for us trying to find someone alive. Unfortunately, this is how we ended up in this situation," La Paz County Sheriff William Ponce told KHPO. "We’re trying to backtrack on information that wasn’t coming fast enough. Had we gotten that much sooner, I think we could’ve located her alive and been able to bring her home."
Please contact the Blythe Police Department at 760-922-6111 or the La Paz County Sheriff's Office at 928-669-6141 if you have any information.
