The 15-month search for 21-year-old Zyanya Valora has come to a tragic conclusion.
On September 29, 2025, the Ojai Police Department posted an update on their Facebook page. “On 09/24/25, suspected human skeletal remains were found in the Ventura Riverbed near Baldwin Rd. bridge during a conservancy cleanup,” they wrote. “Deputies, Detectives, Major Crimes, Medical Examiner, SAR, UAV, and CSI responded.”
According to the Facebook post, two days later, the medical examiner confirmed the remains belonged to Zyanya. She had been missing since the morning of June 25, 2024.
Dateline first covered Zyanya’s story in May of 2025, as part of its Missing in America series. Damaris Valora said she went to her daughter’s room to check on her and noticed the window was open with the screen pulled off. Zyanya was nowhere to be found.
Her father, Gabriel, was already at work by then. “I called my husband immediately,” Damaris said. Gabriel left work to head home. When he got there, Zyanya still hadn’t returned, so the Valoras reported her missing to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. According to her family, Zyanya was on the autism spectrum and also suffered from anxiety and depression.
Damaris told Dateline that law enforcement used every resource available to locate her daughter, including helicopters and K-9 units. However, their efforts turned up nothing. It also rained later that week, which made tracking Zyanya more difficult.
Damaris told Dateline that Zyanya loved the water and that the woods, lake, and river near their home had also been extensively searched. “She will enjoy a lot of nature and see, um, the animals and — and she will enjoy the water,” her mother said.
According to the Facebook post from the Ojai Police Department, “No obvious signs of lethal trauma were observed, and the cause and manner of death remain under investigation.” The department then shared its condolences. “Our thoughts are with Zyanya’s loved ones during this difficult time as authorities continue their work to provide answers,” they wrote.
Zyanya’s family, who runs the “Find Zyanya Valora” Facebook page, shared the news on the page. “It is with deep sorrow that we share that Zyanya has been found deceased. Over the past 15 months, this community has shown incredible compassion and dedication in our search for Zyanya. On behalf of her family we wanted to express deep gratitude to this community, to the search teams, law enforcement, and everyone who supported and stood by them during these long months. Your love and hope have meant everything.” The family then asked for privacy as they grieved.
