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Investigators on Tuesday evening released a new photo of Kiely Rodni as dozens of local, state and federal law enforcement officers continued to search for the 16-year-old girl who went missing from a campground north of Truckee Saturday morning.
Placer County Detective Sgt. Scott Alford said investigators are working with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol and the FBI. About 50 FBI agents on Tuesday were in the area following up on leads.
“We’re using every tactic we can to try to get any information that might help further our investigation,” Alford said. “If you think you have information and you don’t know if it’s relevant, we want it.”
Tips from people who had firsthand contact with Rodni or had interactions with her around the time she was last seen, take priority, Alford said. But he emphasized they’re looking into every tip submitted.
More than 200 tips have been submitted, and investigators on Tuesday were pleading for more.
Alford said investigators are looking into any videos submitted and time stamps that might help them establish a better timeline for her disappearance.
Investigators have reviewed security camera video from a Truckee store shortly after 6 p.m. Aug. 5 before she went missing, which didn’t expand the timeline for her disappearance, Alford said. Sheriff’s officials released an image from the security video, in which she was last seen wearing a black spaghetti strap bodysuit, green Dickies brand pants with a black grommet belt and black Vans shoes.
Alford said this is a missing persons case, along with a search and rescue operation. The CHP has not issued an Amber Alert because the case is not regarded as a suspected child abduction. Alford said they have worked through other resources and agencies that are wider reaching than the Amber Alert system to spread the word about her disappearance.
“Right now, we don’t have any evidence that supports an abduction,” Alford said. “We’re not ruling anything out, so that’s why we’re kind of pulling out all the stops.”
CHP issues alerts for missing teen
The CHP on Monday afternoon issued an Endangered Missing Advisory for Rodni in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Nevada, Amador and Sierra counties.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dennis Hack, a search and rescue coordinator, said over 100 volunteers are searching the area using vehicles, aircraft and boats. They’ve spent more than 1,500 hours searching but have not found Rodni or her vehicle.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned,” said Nevada County Sheriff’s Capt. Sam Brown. “We’re really working as hard as we possibly can.”
California police ask for tips
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has set up its operations center at the Truckee Community Center as they search for Rodni. Dozens of volunteers have gathered in the community center parking lot, trying to gather information to relay to investigators.
Sheriff’s officials stressed they only want information to help find Rodni, they’re not investigating the 200 to 300 people gathered at the party where Rodni was last seen.
“No information is too small,” said Placer Sheriff’s Capt. Troy Sander. “Every piece of information we’re going to put together to build a puzzle to continue to push forward.”
Investigators ask anyone with information about Rodni’s whereabouts to call and leave a message on the Sheriff’s Office tip line at 530-581-6320 Option 7 or send an email to [email protected].
This story was originally published August 9, 2022 4:37 PM.