A Utah teenager who went missing nearly a year and a half ago has been located safely in Oregon, bringing an end to a comprehensive nationwide search that spanned more than 500 days.
Kylie Arellano, now 17 years old, was last seen by her family at their residence in Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025, when she was 15.
Her disappearance initiated a broad federal and state investigation, during which authorities pursued numerous unconfirmed sightings before successfully locating her on a recent Sunday.
Law enforcement officials in Oregon, collaborating directly with the FBI's Salt Lake City field office and the Rich County Sheriff's Office, safely recovered the teenager, according to a press release from authorities.
Officials stated that Kylie was found in Oregon with a 39-year-old man, who was subsequently taken into custody without incident.
Multi-Agency Effort Leads to Recovery
In a statement issued on Sunday, the FBI's Salt Lake City field office affirmed, "The FBI and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office have been actively investigating this case for more than a year and pursuing every lead received from across the U.S. and in other countries."
The statement added, "As this case is ongoing, no further information will be released at this time."
Federal authorities extended their appreciation to the Oregon State Police, the FBI's Portland field office, and the Utah Department of Public Safety for their crucial assistance in the operation.
An FBI official, identified as Patel, commented, "We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable."
Patel also issued a stern warning: "To anyone using gore groups to target and exploit children: the FBI and our partners are coming for you. We are using every tool at our disposal to combat nihilistic violent extremism, bring offenders to justice and protect America’s children."
According to a law enforcement source, the suspect allegedly connected with the teenager through the social media platform Snapchat prior to her disappearance.
Prior Investigative Focus and Mother's Account
Last year, Rich County Sheriff Dale Stacey informed the public that detectives had investigated sighting reports across multiple states and urged individuals to preserve any photographic or timestamped evidence that could aid the case.
New details concerning the investigation emerged just days before Kylie’s discovery. Unsealed search warrants, reviewed by KUTV on October 29, revealed that investigators had previously focused on Kylie's mother, Stephanie Coleman, questioning her about a 2024 allegation of physical abuse.
The warrants also brought up inconsistencies regarding missing text messages from the evening Kylie vanished and suspicious marks found within the home.
Coleman denied any involvement in her daughter's disappearance and refuted the abuse allegations, providing timestamped "good night" text messages from May 29, 2025. She explained that the marks were caused by an injured cat and maintained her belief that Kylie had likely been groomed and lured away by someone she encountered online, as reported by the outlet.
