A significant development has occurred in the ongoing search for an 84-year-old woman who vanished from her Arizona home over a week ago. The woman, who requires daily medication for a heart condition, was last seen on the evening of January 31.
Authorities reported activity in a specific cryptocurrency account linked to the case. This account was named in a ransom communication received by several media outlets shortly after the woman’s disappearance. While the exact sum involved was not disclosed by officials, it was described as a recent transaction.
In response to this new lead, a substantial law enforcement presence, including tactical units, was mobilized in the area on Tuesday. Investigators are operating on the theory that the person responsible for the ransom demand is likely familiar with the local community, based on details within the communication.
The family has made a public and heartfelt plea for her safe return. In a statement, her children expressed they are prepared to meet any demand to secure her release, emphasizing that her safe homecoming is their sole priority.
“We beg you to return our mother,” the statement read. “This is the only way we will have peace.”
Federal authorities have released surveillance imagery from the night of the disappearance, showing an individual in a face mask and backpack near the woman’s residence. They are urging anyone with information to come forward.
“We believe she is still alive. Bring her home,” a family spokesperson reiterated on Tuesday.
The investigation continues as the search enters its critical second week.