For over two decades, the case of missing New Mexico woman Melissa Montoya seemed at a standstill, but recent developments have rekindled hope for her loved ones. Melissa disappeared on March 9, 2001, after a night out in her hometown of Dulce, New Mexico, on the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation. She was last seen leaving a St. Patrick’s Day party at the local bar, “The Zoo,” but was never heard from again.
At the time, Melissa, 42, lived with her boyfriend in Archuleta County, Colorado, just across the border from Dulce. Melissa had reportedly confided to her family that if anything happened to her, it would be at his hands. About two months after her disappearance, the boyfriend was found dead in an apparent suicide, and soon after, their home burned down. Despite the early suspicions and an initial property search, the case quickly went cold due to lack of evidence and incomplete police reports.
On November 3, 2024, local law enforcement agencies, working with three cadaver dogs, returned to search the Colorado property. Although the search turned up no new leads, Melissa’s family felt relieved to see renewed action. Shortly afterward, a tipster came forward after reading about the search online, reporting an unsettling story involving Melissa’s boyfriend. Law enforcement is now looking into the new locations mentioned by the caller, which has brought fresh optimism to the case.
Darlene Gomez, a close friend and cousin of Melissa, has been at the forefront of the fight for answers. Now an attorney who advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Gomez has used her legal voice to press for justice in Melissa’s case and dozens of others. She hopes the renewed attention will yield more clues and ultimately lead to closure for her cousin.
In May 2024, Gomez received an email that reinvigorated the investigation. A woman in California discovered a NamUs record for unidentified remains found near Dulce and matched it to Melissa. Though subsequent DNA testing determined that the remains were not Melissa’s, the tip pushed law enforcement to reexamine her case.
The disappearance has underscored challenges in missing persons cases on Indigenous lands, with Melissa’s family often left in the dark as multiple law enforcement agencies—local, federal, and tribal—oversee different aspects of the investigation. The Jicarilla Apache Nation Police Department leads the investigation, while the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado assisted in recent searches. The Bureau of Indian Affairs also has a role due to Melissa’s tribal affiliation.
For Gomez, her advocacy work is personal. Since Melissa went missing, she has dedicated her life to MMIW cases, founding her work as a way to ensure other families don’t endure the same unanswered questions. “I want to bring her home,” Gomez said, adding that she dreams of giving Melissa a proper burial near her family on the reservation.
Gomez’s ultimate goal is to bring Melissa’s remains back to rest beside her parents, where she would be at peace. As new leads come in, she remains cautiously hopeful. “Almost 24 years later, it’s finally happening for us,” Gomez said, praying daily for the resolution she hopes will come, allowing Melissa to finally come home.
