Local
Tijuana officials identify woman as missing Seligman resident, but family and Yavapai County deputies seek proof
A woman found in Tijuana on Oct. 23 was identified by local officials as Shayna Feinman, missing from Seligman since March 2024. Her sister says she does not recognize the woman, and Yavapai County authorities say they cannot independently confirm the identification.
A woman found in Tijuana last week has been identified by Mexican authorities as Shayna Feinman, a 35-year-old who disappeared from the Seligman area in March 2024. But Feinman’s family and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office say the identification has not been verified to their satisfaction.
Tijuana’s security force said the woman was located Oct. 23 in the city’s Encino neighborhood after a report of someone matching Feinman’s description. Authorities said she was taken to a safe location while awaiting contact with her family and U.S. officials.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said it has not been able to independently confirm the woman’s identity because of what it called insufficient evidence. Feinman’s sister, Kara, also said she does not recognize the woman and has no conclusive evidence that she is her sister. She said similar reports of possible sightings have surfaced before and that announcements without strong evidence have been disheartening for the family.
Feinman was reported missing on March 9, 2024, after she left to walk to a friend’s house, according to Yavapai County deputies. Two men were arrested in connection with her disappearance later that year. The sheriff’s office said it is investigating the latest development.
Officials have not said how the woman may have ended up in Mexico. Until her identity is confirmed, the reported discovery does not resolve what happened to Feinman or the circumstances of her disappearance.