21-year-old found dead in riverbed 15 months after she vanished, CA cops say
A 21-year-old autistic woman who wandered from her home more than a year ago has been found dead, California deputies say.
A local conservancy group clearing invasive plants in the Ventura Riverbed in Ojai found remains Sept. 24, which two days later were confirmed to belong to Zyanya Valora, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
“The Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to Zyanya’s family during this heartbreaking time,” Ojai Chief of Police Steve Jenkins told Ojai Valley News. “While deeply saddened, we hope her recovery brings some measure of closure to her loved ones and the community.”
Woman vanishes
Valora vanished after leaving her Mira Monte home June 24, 2024, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post asking the public for help finding her.
“On that morning, we called 911, and the search and rescue team came,” Valora’s father, Gabriel Valora, said in a video shared on YouTube in September 2024.
Gabriel Valora said the team searched for five days but didn’t find his daughter.
A cadaver dog did find Zyanya Valora’s scent, but “it was lost at some point during the search,” her mother, Damaris Dac, said.
This led the family to believe Zyanya Valora may have been taken by someone, Dac said.
In a Facebook post on a page dedicated to finding Zyanya Valora, family urged that she did not run away.
“While it is true that Zyanya did walk away from her home, in autistic people, this is known as elopement or wandering,” the post says. “She is 21 years old with the mental capacity of a child.”
At the end of the YouTube video, Zyanya Valora’s parents solemnly look at the camera.
“If you’re looking at this video, mija,” Gabriel Valora says before taking a long pause. “I want you to be strong … We are looking for you.”
“We love you, mommy. We love you,” her mother says.
“We are not going to stop looking for you,” Gabriel Valora says.
And for months, the family searched; from holding press conferences to speaking at Ojai city council meetings, the family pressed on to find Zyanya Valora, the Ojai Valley News reported.
‘Your love and hope have meant everything’
The medical examiner’s office did not find any signs of trauma on Zyanya Valora, deputies said, adding that the cause and manner of death are pending additional testing.
A Facebook page dedicated to finding Valora announced she had been found dead with “heavy hearts.”
“Over the past 15 months this community has shown incredible compassion and dedication in our search for Zyanya,” the post said. “Your love and hope have meant everything.”
Ojai is about an 80-mile drive northwest from Los Angeles.
