A 17-year-old Utah teenager who vanished nearly a year and a half ago has been found safe in Oregon, ending a nationwide search that spanned more than 500 days. Kylie Arellano 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 broad federal and state investigation that led authorities through numerous unconfirmed sightings before culminating in her recovery on Sunday.
Law enforcement officers in Oregon, working directly with the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office, safely recovered the teenager, according to a joint law enforcement news release. Kylie was found alongside a 39-year-old man in Oregon, who was taken into custody without incident. Federal authorities also credited the Oregon State Police, the FBI’s Portland field office, and the Utah Department of Public Safety for their assistance in the operation.
Multi-Agency Investigation and Federal Response
The FBI and local authorities pursued investigative leads across multiple states and countries throughout the 500-day search. Rich County Sheriff Dale Stacey previously noted that detectives had chased reports of sightings across state lines and urged the public to preserve any photographic or timestamped evidence. According to a law enforcement source reported by Fox News, the suspect allegedly met the teenager on Snapchat prior to her disappearance.
FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the successful recovery in a statement, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to protecting children from online exploitation. “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,” Patel said. “We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable.”
Family Scrutiny and Search Warrants
In the days leading up to the discovery, new details concerning the broader investigation emerged through unsealed court documents. Search warrants reviewed by KUTV on Oct. 29 showed that investigators had previously scrutinized Kylie’s mother, Stephanie Coleman, regarding a 2024 allegation of physical abuse and discrepancies involving missing text messages from the night the teenager vanished.
Coleman repeatedly denied any involvement in her daughter’s disappearance or abuse, providing timestamped good-night text messages from May 29, 2025. She stated that marks found in the home were caused by an injured cat and maintained that Kylie had likely been groomed and lured away by someone she encountered online.