Left: A file photo of missing Arizona woman Shayna Feinman. Right: A woman identified by Mexican authorities as Feinman in protective custody in Tijuana, Mexico. (FOX 10 File, Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana de Tijuana)
UPDATE: A woman found in Mexico is not Shayne Feinman, an Arizona woman who has been missing for more than two years, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Oct. 27.
SELIGMAN, Ariz. – The news comes after Mexican authorities said on Monday that Feinman was located by officers in Tijuana.
“The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) is aware of circulating news reports regarding the alleged discovery of Shayna Feinman. Those news stories were published without official law enforcement confirmation,” YCSO said in a statement on Tuesday. “Today, U.S. authorities confirmed to YCSO detectives, utilizing physical evidence, that the individual located is not Shayna Feinman. Detectives continue to work diligently with the family during this stressful time.”
A $20,000 reward is still active for information on the whereabouts of Feinman.
Our previous story is below
An Arizona woman who vanished more than two and a half years ago — triggering a massive desert search and leading authorities to charge two men with her murder — has been found alive across the border in Mexico, according to police in Tijuana.
What we know:
Shayna Feinman, who disappeared from rural Yavapai County in early 2024, was located Friday afternoon by municipal police officers in the Encino neighborhood of Tijuana, according to officials with Tijuana’s Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection. Authorities confirmed her identity and immediately placed her into protective custody to arrange contact with her family and U.S. consular officials.
The discovery marks a stunning conclusion to a case that investigators had long treated as a suspected homicide.
The backstory:
Feinman, then 38, was last seen on March 9, 2024, in the Hyde Park area near Seligman and Peach Springs, where she was believed to be walking toward an acquaintance’s home. She never arrived, sparking alarm when a neighbor noticed she failed to pick up her dog. A subsequent search uncovered Feinman’s vehicle, containing her wallet and identification, abandoned near a property where she had been staying with her boyfriend, Cavett Richards. Her cellphone was later recovered on a nearby parcel.
In August 2024, following a months-long investigation, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office announced that detectives had established probable cause to charge Richards and another man, William DalCerro, with second-degree murder, conspiracy and concealment of a dead body. Both men, who had already been jailed on unrelated weapons and stolen vehicle charges, were accused of killing Feinman even though search teams across west-central Arizona and California had never recovered her remains.
According to court records, the murder charges against both men were dismissed in January 2025, yet the case remained an active priority for Arizona law enforcement. Yavapai Silent Witness eventually boosted the reward for information to $20,000, continuing to solicit tips and urge residents to review surveillance camera footage.
What they’re saying:
Despite the cross-border confirmation from Mexican officials, authorities back home in northern Arizona are urging caution.
“We are aware of reports indicating that Shayna Feinman may have been located in Mexico. At this time, the information remains unconfirmed, and there is insufficient evidence to verify her identity,” said Paul Wick, a spokesperson for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. “YCSO detectives are actively investigating the matter. We will provide an update as soon as additional information is confirmed and can be released. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Kara Feinman, Shayna’s sister, told FOX 10 that she has not yet spoken with the woman in Mexican custody and is waiting for YCSO “to know for certain.” While acknowledging the woman shares “similar physical attributes,” Kara urged caution, noting that “there are a ton of people that are short like she was and have dark hair, everywhere.”
“I can only hope and pray [for] good news, but right now, we have to be realistic, rational and calm,” Kara Feinman said.
What we don’t know:
How Shayna Feinman reportedly arrived in Mexico, her condition and where she spent the past 31 months have not yet been released by Mexican authorities.
Shayna Feinman: Sister of missing woman speaks out
Shayna Feinman, an Arizona resident, has been reported missing in Yavapai County since March 9, with the local sheriff’s department announcing a substantial reward for any information that facilitates locating her. Her sister, Kara, remains optimistic that someone will come forward with details that assist in Shayna’s discovery.
What’s next:
Arrangements are currently underway with U.S. consular officials to facilitate Feinman’s safe return to her family, who held onto hope for a break in the case throughout the lengthy search.
Map of where Shayna Feinman went missing:
Map of where she was found more than two and a half years later:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Tijuana Municipal Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection (SSPCM), the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Yavapai Silent Witness, Yavapai County Superior Court records, and previous FOX 10 Phoenix coverage.