Nita Mary Mayo, a 64-year-old licensed practical nurse with a distinctive British accent, was last seen on the morning of August 8, 2005, at her residence in the 1100 block of Park Street in Hawthorne, Nevada. A woman known for her adventurous spirit and love of travel, she had plans for a solo day trip. After having breakfast with a friend, Nita set off around 11:00 a.m.
in her 1997 silver Mercury Sable station wagon, which was easily identifiable by a 'Marine' sticker on the back window. Her intention was to drive over the scenic Sonora Pass via State Route 108 for a day of sightseeing and shopping in Sonora, California, with the plan to return that evening in time for her shift at Mt. Grant General Hospital Clinic the following day. When she failed to show up for work on Tuesday morning, her concerned colleagues, knowing her to be a reliable employee, reported her missing.
Two days after she was last seen, a Tuolumne County Sheriff's deputy located Nita's Mercury Sable station wagon in the parking lot of Donnell Vista, a picturesque and remote scenic overlook on Highway 108. The vehicle was locked, and a Caltrans worker reported seeing it parked there since the evening of her disappearance. Inside the car were her purse, wallet, keys, and cell phone. investigators also found souvenirs she had purchased from the Strawberry General Store, suggesting she may have been on her way back home when she vanished. The only items believed to be missing were her camera and her prescription sunglasses. There were no immediate signs of foul play at the scene. The overlook provides a dramatic view of a river canyon a thousand feet below, a detail that concerned investigators and her family.
An extensive search of the rugged terrain surrounding Donnell Vista was launched immediately, involving search dogs, helicopters, and rappelling teams, but no trace of Nita was ever found. Her family, who traveled from out of state to aid in the search, posted missing person flyers and canvassed the area, certain that she would not be found near the vista point as she had a fear of heights. Early in the investigation, authorities sought a woman named Jewel Jeanne Rice for questioning, as she had been experiencing car trouble in the area on the day Nita disappeared, but she was eventually located and is no longer considered a person of interest. Over the years, Nita's case has remained open, and though she was declared legally dead in 2013, her family continues to seek answers. A bench has since been dedicated in her memory at Donnell Vista, a place that now holds a somber significance in the perplexing and unresolved disappearance of Nita Mayo. The case is an overview of a woman who embarked on a simple day trip through the mountains, only to vanish from a scenic outlook, leaving behind her vehicle and personal belongings in a mystery that has endured for years.Last Seen: Aug 8, 2005
