A Utah teenager who vanished nearly a year and a half ago has been found safe in Oregon, ending a lengthy nationwide search that spanned more than 500 days.
Kylie Arellano, now 17, was last seen by her family on May 29, 2025, at their home in Garden City, Utah, when she was 15 years old. Her disappearance triggered a federal and state investigation that included dozens of unconfirmed sightings before culminating in her recovery on Sunday.
Law enforcement officers in Oregon, working with the FBI's Salt Lake City field office and the Rich County Sheriff's Office, safely recovered the teen. The 39-year-old man she was found with was taken into custody without incident.
"Tonight, local police in Oregon brought a minor who had been missing for a year and a half to safety, acting on information provided by our FBI Salt Lake City Field Office," FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. "We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable."
According to a law enforcement source, the suspect allegedly met the teenager on Snapchat before her disappearance. Last year, Rich County Sheriff Dale Stacey had stated that detectives had pursued reports of sightings across multiple states and urged the public to preserve any photographic or timestamped evidence.
Federal authorities also credited the Oregon State Police, the FBI's Portland field office, and the Utah Department of Public Safety for their assistance. The FBI stated that as the case is ongoing, no further information would be released at this time.
Unsealed search warrants reviewed in late October showed investigators had previously scrutinized Kylie's mother, Stephanie Coleman, and questioned her about a 2024 allegation of physical abuse. Questions were also raised about discrepancies involving missing text messages from the night Kylie vanished and suspicious marks in the home. Coleman denied any involvement in her daughter's disappearance or abuse, providing timestamped text messages and attributing the marks to an injured cat. She maintained that Kylie had likely been groomed and lured away by someone met online.