NM NM - Melissa Ann Montoya, 42, Dulce, 9 March 2001

[TheArtfulDetective]

Melissa Ann Montoya

• Case Classification: Endangered Missing
• Missing Since: March 09, 2001
• Location Last Seen: Dulce, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

Description:​

• Date of Birth: circa 1959***
• Age: 42 years old
• Race: Indigenous/Native American
• Gender: Female
• Height: 5' 7" - 5' 8" (67 - 68 inches)
• Weight: 155 - 165 lbs.
• Hair Color: Black
• Eye Color: Brown/Wears contact lenses
• Nickname/Alias: Unknown
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
• Clothing & Jewelry: Blue jeans & brown boots.
• Identifiers: Dental records, fingerprints, and DNA available.
• Other: Tribal information - Jicarilla Apache

***Some agencies report her age as 33 at the time of her disappearance.

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Montoya was last seen in Dulce, New Mexico on March 9, 2001. She attended a St. Patrick's Day party at the Apache House of Liquor and has never been heard from since. Few details are available regarding her disappearance and her whereabouts remain unknown.

Investigators:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs - Jicarilla Agency: (575) 759-3951
  Reference Case Number: Unavailable

• Jicarilla Apache Nation Police Department: (575) 759-3222
  Reference Case Number: 010007

NamUs Case Number: MP8420
NCIC Case Number: Unavailable

3135DFNM - Melissa Ann Montoya
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Melissa Montoya, Missing from New Mexico since 2001.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I've only been able to find one photo of her at around age 10.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Sept 27, 2023

A family tradition of giving aid leads to advocacy for the Missing and Murdered

Darlene Gomez, owner of The Law Offices of Darlene Gomez in Albuquerque, works extensively with the families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives as a pro bono attorney. One of her f...

www.tricityrecordnm.com

<<Melissa Ann Montoya, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, disappeared on St. Patrick’s Day, 2001. Knowing Gomez was studying law at UNM, Montoya’s family sought her help. Gomez did the best she could to answer legal questions and assisted in the search for Montoya.

At the time of her disappearance, Montoya had been living in a remote area of Colorado, just across the New Mexico state line. Gomez said it was extremely difficult to get agencies to work together, but she enlisted the help of Gabe Valdez, a New Mexico State Police Officer who had spent most of his career in Dulce.

“Valdez knew everyone in Dulce and the surrounding area, including the Colorado communities on the other side of the state line,” said Gomez. “To the best of his ability, Valdez tried to work with Colorado law enforcement to solve the case.”

But nothing much happened, and when Valdez retired, the case went cold.

Gomez was appalled to discover that only a silhouette of Montoya was attached to her name on missing persons websites. In October 2022, after Gomez lobbied the FBI, her photograph was added to the missing person databases. Gomez was also instrumental in getting Montoya’s story profiled on an episode of Uncovered.>>


May 9, 2023- Melissa is mentioned

Farmington Missing and Murdered rally draws families, officials, support organizations

Family members of missing and murdered relatives gathered May 5 in Berg Park to continue their push for justice and honor their loved ones during the second annual Farmington rally for National Day of...

www.tricityrecordnm.com

 

[Caring1]

4 Unidentified Person Exclusions

 

[heartanium]

Photo of Melissa from the previous article posted:



I've emailed Namus to hopefully get her photo added.

I've also submitted her as a possible match to UP102022 to Namus and OMI.