Navajo Nation Missing Persons Updates

GALLUP, NM

On October 8, 2025, along a remote stretch near a one-way bridge in Gallup, New Mexico, a discovery was made that would open a case without a name. What began the day prior, when a passerby noticed something unusual and called 911, led authorities to return to the scene - where additional remains, including a human skull with a single tooth, were recovered.

What was found were not the remains of a fully identifiable person, but fragments: partial skeletal remains scattered and incomplete. Investigators confirmed that multiple parts of the body were not recovered, and the condition of the remains has made identification difficult. The case remains one of the many where the story is clear - someone died - but who they were is still unknown.

The unidentified individual’s biological s*x, race, age, height, and weight cannot be determined at this time. No hair or eye color information is available. There are no known distinctive physical features to aid in identification.

Items located near the remains may offer the only clues: a black undershort and a colorful towel or blanket found in close proximity (as seen in our flyer below). The remains were discovered on tribal land in McKinley County, adding another layer of complexity to an already difficult investigation.

Now cataloged as NamUs , this case represents someone who has yet to be given their name back - someone who may still be missing to those who knew them.

If you have any information that could help in identifying this individual, please contact the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator at (505) 272-3053. Please reference case number 2025-07304.