U.S. authorities reject the identification
Physical evidence established that the woman in Mexico was not Feinman, the sheriff's office said Tuesday. The agency said news reports announcing that she had been found appeared before official law enforcement confirmation.
"Today, U.S. authorities confirmed to YCSO detectives, utilizing physical evidence, that the individual located is not Shayna Feinman," the office said in a statement. "Detectives continue to work diligently with the family during this stressful time."
The mistaken identification followed an encounter in Tijuana's Encino neighborhood on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. According to the Tijuana Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection, municipal officers located a woman who matched Feinman's description.
Mexican authorities announced Monday that they had found Feinman alive. The Tijuana agency said it had verified the woman's identity and placed her in protective custody while arranging contact with family members and U.S. consular officials.
Arizona investigators and Feinman's family had urged caution before Tuesday's announcement. Sheriff's spokesperson Paul Wick said there was not enough evidence to verify the identification. Kara Feinman told FOX 10 she had not spoken with the woman and was waiting for the sheriff's office "to know for certain." She noted some physical similarities but cautioned that short stature and dark hair were not enough to establish that the woman was her sister.
Missing since March 2024
Feinman, then 38, was last seen March 9, 2024, around Hyde Park, near Seligman and Peach Springs in Yavapai County. Investigators believed she was headed on foot to an acquaintance's home, but she did not arrive. A neighbor raised concerns after she failed to return for her dog.
Her vehicle was later found abandoned with her wallet and identification inside. It was near the property where she had been living with her boyfriend, Cavett Richards; her cellphone turned up on a nearby parcel.
WNYT NewsChannel 13 reported that William DalCerro owned the property where the couple lived. According to Kara Feinman, as reported by the station, Shayna had told friends she feared for her safety and had argued with DalCerro shortly before disappearing.
Authorities describe Feinman as a white woman with brown hair and green eyes, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds. When last seen, she wore a hoodie, sweatpants with athletic shorts over them, and green hiking boots. She graduated from Guilderland High School in New York, according to WNYT.
Murder charges dismissed; reward remains active
In August 2024, the sheriff's office said investigators had probable cause to charge Richards and DalCerro with second-degree murder, conspiracy and concealment of a dead body. The men were already in custody on unrelated charges involving weapons and a stolen vehicle. Searches in west-central Arizona and California had not located Feinman's remains.
Court records show that the murder charges against both men were dismissed in January 2025. Arizona authorities nevertheless kept the disappearance an active investigative priority.
An increase in the reward to $20,000 was announced April 30, 2026, alongside a renewed appeal for help in what investigators considered a presumed murder case. That reward for information about Feinman's whereabouts remains available. Yavapai Silent Witness has continued seeking tips and asking residents to check surveillance footage.
