Arelie Yeraldine Garcia Sanchez

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Salinas Police Department (CA)

Missing From:

Salinas, California

Summary:

On the morning of September 22, 2022, 25-year-old Arelie Yeraldine Garcia Sanchez left her home in Salinas, California and was never seen again. Her red Honda Accord was found abandoned on Highway 1 near Big Sur, California, with her phone, wallet, and keys inside, but no sign of Arelie. Police continue to investigate her disappearance, which remains unsolved.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

Garcia Sanchez was last seen in Salinas, California at 6:34 a.m. on September 22, 2022. She left her apartment on Roosevelt Street, where she lived with her mother, to drive to her job at a Chevrolet car dealership. She wasn't supposed to start her shift until 7:30 a.m. and she lived just ten minutes from her workplace; it's not clear why she left home early on this day. Surveillance video shows Arelie left her home at 5:30 a.m., instead of her regular 7:30 morning departure, and wasn't dressed for work. Arelie texted her sister Veronica around 6 a.m. that morning, saying 'Good morning, I love you.' She never arrived at work and has never been heard from again. Her sisters used Find My iPhone to locate her car abandoned on the side of Highway 1 near Big Sur, California. Arelie's vehicle was found on Highway 1 near the Little Sur River in Big Sur with her cell phone, wallet, and keys, all inside. When the car was found, it wasn't in its usual lowered position, and the driver's seat was pushed back further than Garcia Sanchez usually kept it, suggesting someone else who was taller drove the vehicle.

Additional Details:

Arelie was the youngest of seven siblings and was described as hardworking and ambitious, balancing her job as a service advisor at a local Chevrolet dealership with online college courses, aiming to become an ultrasound technician. Her passion for cars was evident; she had customized her red Honda Accord and was an active participant in car shows and clubs. She worked out 5-6 days a week at Montage gym, which was her second home. Salinas Police Detective Edwin Cruz told reporters that a search was conducted on October 2nd, 2022, by SPD Detectives, MCSO Search and Rescue, a drone, and a trained cadaver dog, but no sign of Arelie was recovered. Detectives scanned surveillance footage and believe a vehicle matching hers passed the Carmel Highlands General store about 40 minutes away from her apartment, a route consistent with where Arelie's vehicle was later found in Big Sur. According to the detective, no one approached her and there is no indication that her vehicle was followed. A September 22, 2022 Google Street View image appears to show Garcia's distinctive red Honda parked along the California coast at Big Sur, just hours after Garcia was last seen driving away from her home in Salinas, over an hour's drive away. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Arelie's discovery. Her family and the public were first covered by NBC Dateline in September 2023, and her family was still searching for her then.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 30, 2026