Colorado woman identified as the victim found inside her car near Moab

GRAND COUNTY, Utah — The body found inside a vehicle near Moab has been identified as 70-year-old Melissa Gonzales, a Colorado woman who was missing since Nov. 2022.

The discovery was made at approximately 7:20 a.m. Sunday. According to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, the Utah Department of Natural Resources spotted Gonzales’ car in the Book Cliffs north of Moab while operating a helicopter and conducting research.

“The cause and manner of her death will be determined by the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office and is still pending,” read an updated statement from the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado.

Gonzales was last seen entering a Dollar General in Fruita, Colorado, on Nov. 15, 2022. She was reported missing by her family later than night.

Body found inside a car in Grand County