Courtney Lynne Townsend was 32 years old when she was last seen on November 16, 2023. Her family didn't get a real answer about what happened to her for another six months.
On November 16, 2023, Courtney's mother reported to St. George Police that her car had been taken without permission. Three days later, on November 19, the car was found burned in a remote forested area south of Duck Creek Village in Kane County, roughly 80 miles away — stuck on rocks, cold to the touch, with no footprints in the snow around it, which investigators used to determine the fire happened before the snowfall. Investigators later determined the fire had been intentionally set. Courtney's mother filed an official missing persons report on December 2, 2023 — more than two weeks after Courtney was last seen.
Kane County's rugged, high-elevation terrain meant search efforts were repeatedly pushed back due to snow conditions over the winter. Search and rescue crews, including cadaver dogs, conducted an organized search in May 2024 that turned up nothing. Courtney's family and friends carried out their own search a week later, also without success.
On May 27, 2024, an ATV rider who was familiar with Courtney's case found clothing on a road in the Duck Creek Ridge area and contacted the Kane County Sheriff's Office. Detectives, deputies, and search and rescue teams responded and located human remains near the clothing. The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the remains belonged to Courtney.
Courtney's sister, Dallas Jimenez, has pushed for a thorough, coordinated investigation between the jurisdictions involved — St. George Police, where Courtney was last seen, and Kane County, where her car and remains were found — and maintains the "Justice for Courtney" Facebook page to keep the case visible.
Courtney's family is still seeking a full accounting of what happened to her.
How to report a tip:
Kane County Sheriff's Office: 435-644-2349
St. George Police Department: 435-627-4300