Found Deceased CA - Erin Valenti, 33, from Utah, en-route from Palo Alto to San Jose, 7 Oct 2019

[MsFacetious]

To go from 'manic ' to needing a nap is very strange.

Not after several hours of being manic, she could easily have just crashed. It could have been 3am, so 12 hours later.

Though, I'm not saying that she needed a nap, just explaining where in the vehicle she was found is all.

 

[MsFacetious]

So she disappeared during a 17 mile/20 minute drive. Hmmm. What could have intervened that caused her her life?

Probably the same thing that caused her to be "manic" and "disjointed" and "confused." Whatever that was.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I agree. It is too coincidental for me that her disorientation began the same time she left her former colleague. I am not accusing him/her of anything. MOO

I think they could certainly shed light on her behaviour; if she seemed okay or if she appeared a little 'out of it' or mentioned that she felt a little 'weird'.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Awww... DANG it. Her people found her.

Maria Medina KPIX5 on Twitter
Heartbreaking...a source tells me it was a family friend who discovered the body of missing tech CEO Erin Valenti in a car today during their search. No word yet on cause of death.

How distressing.

This is the second case recently I have followed where police seem to have been doing little and the body has been found by family conducting their own search.

 

[rosesfromangels]

How distressing.

This is the second case recently I have followed where police seem to have been doing little and the body has been found by family conducting their own search.

From SanJoseCa.gov webpage: In their own words -
"San José has the most thinly staffed police department of any major city in the country, severely constraining the City's ability to respond to and deter crime."
San Jose, CA - Official Website - Safety

 

[PixieStix]

What a strange situation. I was not expecting this outcome in this case. It's heartbreaking that she was in contact with her husband, mother, and friend, and they did all the right things by calling the cops to try to find her because she was lost and acting strange.

What caused her to die in the back of her car? If she was having a manic episode that in and of itself doesn't kill you unless she crawled into the back of the vehicle and needed water perhaps and died of dehydration. As others have speculated, she could have been in some kind of medical crisis, or, taking something that had a reaction.

Someone above mentioned this sounding a bit like the Karlie Guse. It also reminds me of another case Mitrice Richardson. Hopefully, the toxicology results and autopsy can shed some light on her death for the family.

 

[PommyMommy]

From article:
“I’m very shocked, I feel so sorry for the family,” said CM who lives in the neighborhood. “I saw the car there, but…never dawned on me somebody was in there.”

Family Confirms Body Found In Parked Car In San Jose Is Missing Utah Tech Exec

Noting:

• A police source told KPIX5 that it was a family friend who discovered Erin Valenti’s rental car and body before police were called to the scene.
• According to police, it was from that area, near the Almaden Library and Community Center, where the last phone call from Valenti was made.
  
• Her friends and family, who remained on scene for a few hours and were emotionally distraught, asked for privacy and did not want to be interviewed.
• Crime scene investigators arrived on scene late Saturday night.

 

[PommyMommy]

Erin Valenti: A Tribute to the Utah Entrepreneur - Heavy.com - Business Fast

Erin Valenti, the 33-year-old CEO of a Utah tech company who vanished while driving from Palo Alto, California to San Jose to catch a flight, was remembered as an inspirational entrepreneur and genuine human being who was smart and funny.

Also from the article:

[,,,]
​

Those who knew Valenti are reeling from her untimely death. “My heart is broken. We have all seriously lost one of the most SPECIAL woman I believe I have ever met and come to know,” one woman wrote on Facebook. “We have lost an amazing friend and member of our startup tech community,” wrote another.

[...]

A friend described Valenti as “a highly capable person, mountaineer, and CEO of a 100+ person organization.” Another friend wrote, “It’s times like this when all I can do is look to the Lord for comfort. I will miss you and our phone chats my brilliant beautiful friend Erin Valenti.”

[...]

The Women Tech Council described her work at Tinker this way: “At Tinker, Erin manages a global team of 120 employees across their Salt Lake City and Lahore, Pakistan offices. Tinker has built over 700 products including mobile apps, SaaS applications, tech enabled marketplaces and consumer websites.”

[...]

Before starting Tinker, Valenti was founder and CEO of SLC Tech Startups in Salt Lake City, which she described as a “startup and technology focused meetup group.”

Before that, she was executive in residence for Mindshare Ventures in Park City, Utah and director of product development for Overstock.com.

[...]
​

For three years, she was founder and CEO of Skycrane, Inc., described as an “online work-for hire marketplace where businesses can buy on-demand administrative support, back-office, and marketing services.”

She was part of the Springboard Accelerator Class of 2013, described as a “startup accelerator and highly-vetted expert network of innovators, investors and influencers who are dedicated to building high-growth technology-oriented companies led by women.”

Valenti also worked as an investment professional for Summit Partners, a venture capital and private equity fund in Palo Alto, California and as a financial analyst for Bonaventure Realty Group, LLC in Washington DC.

[...]

Erin Valenti was a graduate in business administration from Georgetown University, listing “summa laude, finance, international business.” She was in Beta gama sigma and recorded a 4.0 GPA, she wrote on LinkedIn.

She attended classes in Chinese language, culture and business practices at the University of International Business and Economics.

[...]

According to her LinkedIn page, Valenti was a volunteer for Not for Sale, described as an “advocate for anti-human trafficking initiatives. Participated in humanitarian mission to Uganda 2008.”

She also was a volunteer in economic empowerment for the International Rescue Commuttee. She “participated in mentoring refugee entrepreneurs.”

[...]

​

 

[Kittybunny]

What a strange situation. I was not expecting this outcome in this case. It's heartbreaking that she was in contact with her husband, mother, and friend, and they did all the right things by calling the cops to try to find her because she was lost and acting strange.

What caused her to die in the back of her car? If she was having a manic episode that in and of itself doesn't kill you unless she crawled into the back of the vehicle and needed water perhaps and died of dehydration. As others have speculated, she could have been in some kind of medical crisis, or, taking something that had a reaction.

Someone above mentioned this sounding a bit like the Karlie Guse. It also reminds me of another case Mitrice Richardson. Hopefully, the toxicology results and autopsy can shed some light on her death for the family.

Agree with all that you wrote. Despite all our technology and her being in a populated area, no one was able to intervene and prevent this outcome.

I am on the fence as to whether she had a mental break, or ingested/took something that caused that reaction.

Praying that her family gets the answers they need, soon.

 

[MsBetsy]

To go from 'manic ' to needing a nap is very strange.

Not if the manic episode lasted several hours. If she sounded manic at 3:30 and her phone turned off at midnight after she spoke to her mom, that's about eight hours of driving around lost. She would probably have been physically and emotionally exhausted by then.
It sounds like she crawled in the back to go to sleep.

How she ended up dead is the mystery.

Imo

 

[PixieStix]

Agree with all that you wrote. Despite all our technology and her being in a populated area, no one was able to intervene and prevent this outcome.

I am on the fence as to whether she had a mental break, or ingested/took something that caused that reaction.

Praying that her family gets the answers they need, soon.

I am on the fence as well. Mostly because we don't know her history and whether she suffered at all from depression. Her husband said on the FB page she had no history of mental illness. I know her husband is a psychologist and stated she sounded manic; however, many other medical reasons could explain her behavior. She could have had some undiagnosed medical condition.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

The most recent post from the "Help Find Erin Valenti" page:

Help Find Erin Valenti

Help Find Erin Valenti
8 hrs ·
Many of you have seen that the search for Erin has been called off. While we were praying for a different outcome, we are so appreciative for the help and support you have given. Please remember Erin as the beautiful, smart, funny woman that she was. I don't have any details that have not been in the media. I'm sure that Harrison will thank you himself when he is able, but please be patient.

RIP Erin. Prayers for your family, friends, and business associates. She will be missed.

 

[MsBetsy]

I am on the fence as well. Mostly because we don't know her history and whether she suffered at all from depression. Her husband said on the FB page she had no history of mental illness. I know her husband is a psychologist and stated she sounded manic; however, many other medical reasons could explain her behavior. She could have had some undiagnosed medical condition.

Yes, there's no way to know until the autopsy report is complete and LE has a chance to investigate further.

I would be interested to know what the friend who last saw her has to say. He or she will be able to give some insight as to her mental state.

Edited: I read that her husband was a psychologist and also thought I read that her aunt was as well. Is that right?


Imo

 

[Suglo]

I’m wondering if she left the car idling to stay warm while sleeping and was poisoned by any gases that could have formed inside the car?

Rest In Peace Erin.

 

[MsBetsy]

I’m wondering if she left the car idling to stay warm while sleeping and was poisoned by any gases that could have formed inside the car?

Rest In Peace Erin.

That's one possibility. Was it cold there that night?

 

[TatianaBarbie]

That's one possibility. Was it cold there that night?

From accuweather.com:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/san-jose-ca/95110/october-weather/347630



Edited because I posted the wrong dates at first!

 

[PaulR]

I’m wondering if she left the car idling to stay warm while sleeping and was poisoned by any gases that could have formed inside the car?

Rest In Peace Erin.

Or carbon monoxide poisoning even while she was driving: Carbon monoxide poisoning - Symptoms and causes

Also I think the Murano, like many SUVs, has a net that covers the back. This is so people can't see what's in the back just by walking around the car. Easily possible that she was back there and couldn't be seen by anyone walking by.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I’m wondering if she left the car idling to stay warm while sleeping and was poisoned by any gases that could have formed inside the car?

Rest In Peace Erin.

I'm wondering the same thing. I wondered, too, if there was something in the vehicle causing the confusion and mania. But then again, she had trouble (maybe) prior because she couldn't find the car in Palo Alto. I'm wondering if that was a separate event or not.

 

[Jessthinkin]

What a strange situation. I was not expecting this outcome in this case. It's heartbreaking that she was in contact with her husband, mother, and friend, and they did all the right things by calling the cops to try to find her because she was lost and acting strange.

What caused her to die in the back of her car? If she was having a manic episode that in and of itself doesn't kill you unless she crawled into the back of the vehicle and needed water perhaps and died of dehydration. As others have speculated, she could have been in some kind of medical crisis, or, taking something that had a reaction.

Someone above mentioned this sounding a bit like the Karlie Guse. It also reminds me of another case Mitrice Richardson. Hopefully, the toxicology results and autopsy can shed some light on her death for the family.

You make a good point. It's still in the 80's daily in southern CA, so maybe equally sunny/warm in San Jose. If she fell unconcious during a "nap" in the back of her car, she could've overheated/died (?) due to the heat in the closed car...

I wonder how long the tox report will take...

 

[PommyMommy]

Yes, there's no way to know until the autopsy report is complete and LE has a chance to investigate further.

I would be interested to know what the friend who last saw her has to say. He or she will be able to give some insight as to her mental state.

Edited: I read that her husband was a psychologist and also thought I read that her aunt was as well. Is that right?

Imo

BBM
I haven't read anything about her aunt, but her mother is a nurse. MOO