The body of a 63-year-old New York City grandmother who went missing earlier this month has been found near Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to local authorities.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers discovered the remains of Alisa Goods in a drainage ditch near a parking area on Thursday, August 20, nearly two weeks after she was reported missing.
Goods had been visiting Las Vegas to see a friend when she disappeared on August 8, according to her family.
Police said surveillance footage helped investigators piece together what may have happened to her shortly before her disappearance.
CCTV captures apparent fall
According to Las Vegas police, CCTV footage showed Goods apparently tumbling down an embankment and collapsing in an area near the airport.
She then fell out of view from Wayne Newton Boulevard, a nearby roadway. Investigators believe the location where she ended up may have made her difficult to see from the road, which could help explain why she was not immediately located.
Police subsequently found her remains in a drainage ditch near a parking lot.
Authorities have not yet publicly established exactly how Goods died. Her remains had also not been officially identified at the time of the report, with further investigation and identification procedures still pending.
Family received cryptocurrency messages
Goods’ disappearance took an additional troubling turn after her family received messages from someone using her mobile phone number.
According to relatives, the person contacting them requested cryptocurrency after Goods went missing.
The messages initially raised concerns that someone may have been involved in her disappearance. However, police have said they do not currently believe the evidence points to foul play.
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Investigators believe the messages may have been sent by scammers using spoofing technology, which can make a message appear to come from another person’s telephone number.
As a result, authorities have cautioned against assuming that the messages were actually sent by Goods or someone who had physical possession of her phone.
Family expresses grief
Goods’ family has been left devastated by the discovery.
Her niece, Alana Calloway, released a statement on Friday, August 21, expressing the family’s grief while thanking members of the public for supporting the search.
“Our hearts are broken,” Calloway said, adding that words could not describe the pain the family was experiencing. She also thanked people for their “love, support, and prayers” during the search.
The family had previously appealed for information about Goods after she disappeared while visiting Las Vegas.
Investigation continues
Las Vegas police have ruled out foul play based on the information currently available, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities still need to formally confirm the identity of the remains and determine the exact cause and manner of death.
Investigators are expected to examine the surveillance footage, the location where Goods was found and other available evidence as part of the process.
For now, the CCTV footage provides the clearest indication of what may have happened: Goods apparently fell down an embankment and ended up in an area hidden from view of passing motorists.
The discovery brings an end to the search for the missing grandmother but leaves her family waiting for official confirmation and answers about the circumstances surrounding her death.
