MENDOCINO AND SONOMA COUNTIES, CA — A woman reported missing from northern Sonoma County was found dead this week in Mendocino County, authorities said Wednesday.
Michele Paul, 81, of Healdsburg, was originally reported missing Nov. 27 to the Healdsburg Police Department. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation the following day and issued a news release asking the public to be on the lookout for Paul in the Geyserville and lower Russian River areas.
Authorities said Paul was at risk because of her age and cognitive issues she suffered from.
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Paul was last seen around 1 p.m. Nov. 14 at her residence in an unincorporated county area of Geyserville, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said. A community member also reported seeing Paul around 2 p.m. Nov. 25 driving her 2019 black Volkswagen Jetta westbound on Highway 116 leaving Monte Rio.
At 12:02 p.m. Monday, deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the 29000 block of Mountain View Road in Boonville — about 60 miles from Geyserville.
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Deputies responded and were escorted to the car several miles down a dirt road on a large rural property, Mendocino County sheriff’s Sgt. Timothy Del Fiorentino said Wednesday in a news release.
The car was unoccupied and was registered to Michele Paul. Deputies confirmed she was reported missing from Sonoma County and that a missing person investigation was ongoing.
The area was heavily wooded with rugged terrain so deputies separated and began a quick search of the area with the help of a citizen, Del Fiorentino said.
Deputies also summoned the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team.
Deputies’ cursory search of the area came to a close when they found Paul’s body.
The death investigation showed no obvious indicators of foul play, Del Fiorentino said.
It was not clear how long investigators believe her body may have been there before it was found.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Division will continue the investigation for medical records collection and a potential autopsy.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Point Arena Fire Department and the citizen who assisted in the immediate search for Michele Paul,” Del Fiorentino said. “The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team for their willingness to respond to assist in the search prior to Michele Paul being located prior to their arrival.”
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office updated the public Wednesday with the following statement:
“We received a confirmation from the Mendocino County Coroner’s Office today that the remains were hers and that her next of kin had been notified. We wanted to thank you all for being vigilant and for spreading the word about Michele.”
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