ST. GEORGE — Kane County Sheriff’s Office search teams spent last weekend searching an area near Duck Creek around the location where a missing St. George woman’s car was found last November. Another search is scheduled for this weekend.
Sheriff Tracy Glover told St. George News that despite an extensive search last weekend, no sign of Courtney Lynne Townsend was found by Kane County search crews. Glover said as more snow melts in the area known for high mountain terrain, another search will be conducted.
On Jan. 8, the St. George Police Department shared a missing person post on social media reporting Townsend, 32, had been missing since Nov. 16, 2023. The vehicle she was last seen driving was found several days later near a remote camping area in Kane County near Duck Creek.
Glover said the vehicle was reported by someone passing through the area who said it appeared to be high-centered on rocks and burned, although several days had passed between the fire and the person finding the vehicle. He added that winter snow prevented a more thorough search of the area until recently.
“We logged 455 man-hours between search and rescue and law enforcement folks,” Glover said. “(We) covered about 160 miles of tracks looking for clues or anything like that. We didn’t locate her, but we’re still looking.”
Glover noted that due to the vehicle’s charred condition during the search last fall and lack of evidence found during a search of the area last weekend, May 11-12, there is still no conclusive evidence Townsend was in the area when the vehicle she was last seen in was set on fire.
“And she just hasn’t turned up, so we wanted to do a complete search of the area to see if maybe she got into trouble with the snow or became stranded — we weren’t able to find her, so we still don’t know.”
Townsend’s sister, Dallas Jimenez, recently held a candlelight vigil and has been asking for help from outside sources, posting TikToks, starting social media pages — anything to help find her little sister.
After reading one of her posts, a group made up of local search teams reached out to her to organize a search of the area on Sunday, May 19.
Those who have experience and would like to volunteer can reach out to Jimenez on the Facebook page named Where is Courtney.
“These guys have been great to offer their help,” Jimenez said. “We are looking for volunteers that day, too.”
Prepared volunteers can also meet up on search day — Sunday, May 19, at 11 a.m. — at Loose Wheels Service, 835 Movie Ranch Road, Duck Creek.
Salt Lake City private investigator Jason K. Jensen told St. George News recently that a new team of Jensen Investigations operatives is working on Townsend’s missing persons case in accordance with new state legislation.
“I am a founder of the Cold Case Coalition,” Jensen told St. George News in an email. “One of our programs we launched this year is the Missing Coalition.”
The operation will continue in Duck Creek, with Kane County Sheriff’s Office search teams investigating inaccessible areas around the same location in the near future, Glover said.
“There are still areas up there with really deep snowdrifts and snowpack that hasn’t melted off yet, so we’re not done searching,” Glover said, adding that they are going to wait for some more snow to melt before expanding the search area.
Authorities with the St. George Police Department said Townsend had recently changed her hair color from green to brown before the family reported her missing. She is listed on the missing persons report as standing 4 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 110 pounds and having brown hair and blue eyes.
According to NamUs, Townsend has “Love” tattooed on her left wrist, “Fear” on her right wrist, “Independence” on her left hip, “Dalton” on her right foot, flames and crosses on her abdomen and cherries on her chest.
Anyone with information regarding Townsend’s disappearance is urged to call the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4300 and refer to case number 23P032456.
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