In a tragic development, Lizbeth Arceo Sedano, a 25-year-old mother from California, was found dead near a hiking trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The discovery was made on Sunday, according to officials.
Sedano’s body was located by a hiker in Rattlesnake Gulch, an area near the intersection of Eureka Canyon Road and Grizzly Flat Road, just outside the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
The hiker reported the sighting to authorities around 9:40 a.m., as stated by Ashley Keehn, a spokesperson for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon receiving the report, officers arrived at the scene, confirmed the identity of the deceased as Sedano, and confirmed she had been reported missing the day before.
According to the source, this information was shared in a Facebook post by the sheriff’s office.
The search for Sedano began after her partner, Joshua Gonzalez, made a disturbing call to the police. He threatened to harm Sedano’s 3-year-old daughter with a knife while outside the Watsonville Police Department.
According to Michelle Pulido, a spokesperson for the Watsonville Police Department, Gonzalez referred to the child as his stepdaughter during the call.
In response to the threatening call, the first officer on the scene ordered Gonzalez to drop the knife. When Gonzalez refused and advanced toward the officer, the officer fired at Gonzalez, injuring him.
He was subsequently transported to a trauma center and is reported to be in stable condition.
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The police department expressed concern for Sedano’s safety when they issued the missing persons report, noting the gravity of the situation in an Instagram post.
Currently, Sedano’s death is being investigated as suspicious.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the cause and manner of death will be determined by a forensic pathologist, with ongoing investigations by detectives.