Missing New Mexico Woman: Body Of 27-Year-Old Mennonite Found In Arizona, Officials Say

Authorities said Tuesday that an autopsy confirmed that a body found Friday in northern Arizona is a 27-year-old Mennonite woman from New Mexico who had been missing for more than a month.

The Flagstaff Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the body to be Sasha Marie Krause, who was last reportedly seen on Jan. 18. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona confirmed the news to the San Juan Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico, who then posted about the news on social media.

The San Juan County and Coconino County Sheriffs Offices said they would be working alongside federal authorities in its investigation into Krause’s death. They confirmed it is being investigated as a homicide and suspect Krause was kidnapped near her home before being killed and having her body dumped near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Krause was last reportedly seen leaving her home in the largely Mennonite community of Farmington around 8 p.m. Police said they were called about Krause around 3 a.m. on Jan. 19 and her car was parked by a church near her home.

All of her personal belongings were also accounted for.

Police said they found Krause’s body near a service road outside Flagstaff after witnessed called to report a dead body around 3:45 p.m. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said fingerprints taken from the body were a match for Krause before the autopsy provided final confirmation.

“My precious, beautiful niece has been found,” Krause’s aunt, Christen McCarley, wrote on Facebook. “Our hearts are breaking and I hardly know what to say but we so appreciate everyone’s prayers for our family during this time.”