Authorities have determined that the Arizona woman found alive in Mexico after disappearing two years ago is not Shayna Feinman.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon that the woman located Monday in Tijuana was not Feinman, who was 38 when she disappeared on March 9, 2024.
U.S. authorities informed investigators that the woman was not Feinman, the sheriff’s office said. Her family had been anxiously awaiting official confirmation.
Officials did not explain how the identification was ruled out, saying only that “physical evidence” was reviewed.
The sheriff’s office said detectives would continue to “work diligently with the family during this stressful time.” Authorities also reiterated a $20,000 reward for information that could help locate Feinman.
The agency said it was “aware of circulating news reports” claiming Feinman had been found, but noted that those reports were published “without official law enforcement confirmation.”
Feinman disappeared in March 2024 while walking to a friend’s home near the Peach Springs and Hyde Park area of Seligman, roughly 200 miles north of Phoenix.
Her whereabouts have remained unknown for more than two years. Police later found her cellphone and other belongings at a nearby property, leaving her relatives desperate for answers.
Shayna Feinman disappeared on March 9, 2024, near the Peach Springs and Hyde Park area of Seligman, Arizona, before authorities mistakenly reported that she had been found alive in Mexico on October 23, 2026
The Tijuana Municipal Security and Protection Service said the woman was found in the Encino neighborhood and initially reported that her characteristics matched those of the missing woman
Mexican officials initially said they had found Feinman alive on October 23.
The Tijuana Municipal Security and Protection Service (SSPCM) reported that a woman had been located in the Encino neighborhood and that her characteristics appeared to match those of Feinman.
“After confirming her identity, the officers provided her with custody and protection, as well as moved her to a safe location,” the SSPCM wrote on Facebook.
“This was done to enable the consular authorities and her family to contact her and follow up on the relevant procedures,” the statement added.
Kara Feinman, Shayna’s sister, told FOX10 that she had not met the woman being held in Mexico and was waiting for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office to verify her identity.
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“There are a ton of people that are short like she was and have dark hair, everywhere,” Kara told the outlet.
“I can only hope and pray [for] good news, but right now, we have to be realistic, rational and calm,” she said.
Kara (left) previously said that many people are short and dark-haired like her sister and that she could only remain hopeful while awaiting official confirmation
Investigators are still seeking information about Feinman’s (pictured) disappearance and how she may have ended up in Mexico
YCSO said Feinman was believed to be “heading to a nearby friend’s house on foot but never arrived.”
“Detectives have recovered her cell phone on a nearby property and are reporting that the persons last seen with Shayna are not cooperating with the investigation,” the agency previously wrote.
YCSO had earlier announced probable cause to charge Feinman’s boyfriend, Cavett Richards, and William DalCerro with second-degree murder, conspiracy and concealment of a dead body.
Both men had been arrested on unrelated weapons and stolen-vehicle charges. They were accused of killing Feinman despite the fact that search teams never found her remains, FOX 10 reported.
According to Yavapai County Superior Court documents, the murder charges against both men were dismissed in January 2025.
The Daily Mail contacted the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office seeking an attorney who could comment on behalf of Richards and DalCerro.
After Feinman vanished, her family returned to the Peach Springs and Hyde Park area, where they received several of her personal belongings.
They also reunited with the family dog, which they had not seen since Feinman was reported missing.
“Driven by a need for answers and connection, Shayna’s father, Eliot, and sister, Kara, traveled to the area where she was last seen to walk the ground themselves,” YCSO said in a social media statement.
This is a breaking news story.
