Woman missing for 2 months found dead near crashed car at bottom of cliff in California
The body of a California woman has been found near her crashed car site at the bottom of a cliff about two months after she was reported missing, authorities said Tuesday. During a press conference on Tuesday, officials announced that the body of 22-year-old Jolissa Fuentes had been recovered in a rural area of Fresno County, CBS affiliate KGPE-TV reported.
In a separate Facebook post, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said that Selma Police Chief Rudy Alcaraz discovered vehicle debris near Pine Flat Lake, suggesting there had been a car crash.
Alcaraz contacted the Fresno County Sheriff's Office and a search and rescue team respond to the site, authorities said. Drones were flown and deputies rappelled down more than 400 feet off the roadway and discovered a damaged car that belonged to Fuentes.
Human remains and some of Fuentes' personal belongings were discovered in the ravine, authorities said
Video from a Fresno County Sheriff's Office drone showed the sharp curve in the road and steep terrain where Fuentes' car crashed.
Video from a Fresno County Sheriff's Office drone shows the sharp curve in Trimmer Springs Road and steep terrain where Jolissa Fuentes' car crashed.
Posted by Fresno County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims praised Alcaraz for his efforts.
"He personally found the scene of the accident. He went up to the mountains yesterday on his own. He researched areas that had already been searched, and on his own, he actually found the scene of the accident," Mims said Tuesday.
Fuentes was last seen at 4 a.m. on August 7 as she was driving away from an Arco gas station and was reported missing the next day
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but officials said they believe Fuentes was most likely tired after being up throughout the night, KGPE-TV reported.