By Kevin Hendricks and Jesse Jones
Local law enforcement is seeking public assistance in identifying a deceased woman discovered two years ago under a bridge in the Cibola National Forest, now known as “Sandoval Star.”
On April 18, 2023, Placitas residents found the woman’s remains partially submerged in a creek under a bridge off Route 165. Since then, investigators from the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, Rio Rancho Police Department and other agencies have been working to determine her identity. With a new forensic sketch and updated DNA results, they hope someone will recognize her and help identify her.
“It’s our hope that together, with our combined efforts, we’ll restore Sandoval Star’s rightful name, bring justice to her family and as well as closure,” Sandoval County Sheriff Jesse James Casaus said.
Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office Detective Donald Chewning revealed new details about the victim Thursday: She is believed to be of Latino or Hispanic heritage, approximately 5 feet tall, and between 15-30 years old. She was wearing a dark blue shirt with red stars and dark shorts, which led investigators to nickname her “Sandoval Star.” She had no tattoos or identifying scars.
“We do have a cause of death, I don’t want to get into that during the investigation here,” Chewning said. “Right now, there are no suspects in this case, but we are hoping that the results of this media event will shed some light, maybe throw us some names or develop a suspect in this case and identify who this young woman is.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety created a digital rendering of what the woman may have looked like, which was shared with the media. Her DNA was submitted to national databases in hopes of finding a match. Chewning did not say how long she had been dead before she was found.
“We don’t know if Sandoval Star was a member of our community during her lifetime, but we now consider her one of her own,” Chewning said. “We are certain she has family members who care about her, and they’ve been wondering where she is for the past two years. There are times when individuals may disappear from our lives for a variety of reasons, and we may be reluctant to report them missing, hoping they will return. It’s never too late to come forward, and we’re asking for your help. No matter how insignificant you think the information is, we are asking you to contact us.”
Investigators are particularly interested in graffiti found under the bridge and are asking anyone with information to contact the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office at 505-867-7350 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The county’s marketing department also launched a Facebook page dedicated to unsolved cases. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
“This graffiti may or may not be related to this case, but it does indicate that a group of persons may frequent this area,” Chewning said. “We would like assistance in identifying the people responsible for this graffiti.”
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities stress that the public should not be overly concerned about safety, as this appears to be an isolated incident.
“There’s not a high threat of this. You know, this isn’t a serial killer or anything of that nature,” Chewning said. “Unfortunately, this young woman was dumped in the National Forest, and we need your assistance to figure out who she is so we can get on with the rest of the investigation.”