Missing woman’s remains found months after telling 911 she was stuck in Colorado snow

Melinda Tafoya-Deltoro called 911 to say she was stuck in the Colorado snow — then she vanished.

Months later, her remains were found and identified, officials said.

The 38-year-old woman called for help Feb. 13 after getting stranded in the snow, McClatchy News previously reported.

She told dispatchers she was “stuck in the snow and possibly under duress,” sheriff’s officials said. Deputies found her vehicle in the Miner’s Candle area but no sign of her after an extensive search.

Family members worried about Tafoya-Deltoro’s whereabouts for months.

“It’s just scary to hear that she got lost in the mountains and then the snowstorm that came through,” Mario Suazo, her brother, told KDVR at the time. “If she got lost it’s pretty hard to make it out of that. We just want her home safe.”

Skeletal human remains were found in the same area on June 4 after snow melted, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office identified the remains as those of Tafoya-Deltoro.

“The cause and manner of her death remain under investigation,” the Bureau of Investigation said in a news release. “Anyone with information is asked to call 303-679-2354.”

The Miner’s Candle area is about 40 miles west of Denver.

This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Missing woman’s remains found months after telling 911 she was stuck in Colorado snow."