NM NM-Dulce, NativeFem, 30-60, UP102022, Skeletal remains found on side of mountainous dirt road, Jun '20

[phantomstrider]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Date Body Found June 4, 2020
Location Found Dulce, New Mexico
Estimated Age Range 30-60 years
Biological Sex Female
Race / Ethnicity American Indian / Alaska Native
Estimated Age Group Adult - Pre 30
Height Cannot Estimate
Weight Cannot Estimate
Location Dulce, New Mexico 87528
County Rio Arriba County
Found On Tribal Land Yes
Circumstances of Recovery Passerby's noticed a human skull and part of possible additional remains on the side of a mountainous dirt road in Dulce, NM. A call was placed to LE and the bones were determined to be of medico-legal significance. the skull appeared more bleached than rest of bones.
Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Hair Color Unknown
Eye Color Unknown

 

[Laughing]

Rio Arriba County had a population density of 6.9 people per square mile in 2010 -- that's sparse.

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I expect this decedent is a member of the Jicarilla Apache, just by the location of the remains.

I expect tribal LE is involved.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[ChatteringBirds]

It's sad. There are so many missing Native Americans, so many women she could be.

 

[Susikatze]

She could also be Hispanic, imho. Unless they made some genetic test to determine she is NA. Hispanics do have a large amount of NA DNA but the profile is different with European and sometimes also African admixes.

Could she be a border crosser or unlikely in that area?

 

[Caring1]

There is one NA female missing from Albuquerque who was affiliated with the same tribe mentioned above, Jicarilla Apache. Dulce is about 2 1/2 hours north of where she went missing in 1994. No PMI estimate so hard to tell how long the remains may have been there.

Melena Montoya (22) missing April 28, 1994. Melena's mother last heard from her on 4/28/1994 when Melena told her mother she was getting back together with her boyfriend. She has not been seen or heard from since.

UID age estimate is stated as 30-60. However, the age group selected shows pre-30 so she could fall within the age group.

Estimated Age Group Adult - Pre 30

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[heartanium]

Melissa Ann Montoya? #MP8420

D.L.C: March 9, 2001
Location: Dulce, New Mexico
Race: American Indian / Alaska Native
Age: 42 Years
Height: 5' 7" - 5' 8" (67 - 68 Inches)
Weight: 155 - 165 lbs
Circumstances: Melissa was last seen in Dulce, NM on 3/09/2001 at a St Patrick's Day Party at the Apache House of Liquor.

Ashley Collins (MP40062) and Esther Valdez (MP6759) also went missing nearby, about 30 minutes from Dulce.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Nearly 20 years later, skeletal remains were discovered near Dulce in northern New Mexico.

"Melissa Montoya is from Dulce, New Mexico. She was 42 years old when she went missing. She went to a party on St. Patrick's Day in 2001 at the Jicarilla Apache House of Spirits. And she was never seen again after that night," said Darlene Gomez, the attorney for the family.

KOAT traveled to Dulce to meet with her family. Walking us down the road Melissa lived on.

"It's sad because we use this road so much it's just kind of like a constant reminder of someone who was lost and forgotten," said Melody Gomez, a cousin of Montoya.

Human bones found in New Mexico

"That person was someone. Loved by someone. Loved by family. We don't know the circumstances of whoever remains those are, but hopefully, it'll bring closure and maybe even justice for someone who was lost."

www.koat.com

@othram

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

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...

www.websleuths.com

 

[azure]

Nearly 20 years later, skeletal remains were discovered near Dulce in northern New Mexico.

"Melissa Montoya is from Dulce, New Mexico. She was 42 years old when she went missing. She went to a party on St. Patrick's Day in 2001 at the Jicarilla Apache House of Spirits. And she was never seen again after that night," said Darlene Gomez, the attorney for the family.

KOAT traveled to Dulce to meet with her family. Walking us down the road Melissa lived on.

"It's sad because we use this road so much it's just kind of like a constant reminder of someone who was lost and forgotten," said Melody Gomez, a cousin of Montoya.

Human bones found in New Mexico

"That person was someone. Loved by someone. Loved by family. We don't know the circumstances of whoever remains those are, but hopefully, it'll bring closure and maybe even justice for someone who was lost."

www.koat.com

@othram

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

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...

www.websleuths.com

""I received an email from a woman who was looking for her loved one who went missing from California. So she came across the NamUs record stating that bones and a skull had been found in Dulcie, New Mexico. And they were a female that was between 30 and 60 years of age and Native American. And so she did her own research. And she found that there was only three women missing from the area, and Melissa Montoya was one of them," Darlene Gomez said.

Those bones were entered into a database, discovered in 2020.

Darlene is now fighting to get those remains tested to see if it could be Melissa.

"The Office of the medical investigator did tell me that there are no funds available to test these bones," Darlene Gomez said."

 

[heartanium]

Calvin Martinez (MP58513) ruled out