Kayla Rodriguez, a 27-year-old labor and delivery nurse, has been missing since October 23, 2019. She was last seen in Novato, California, with her landlord, Justin Winfrey. The two departed from Gnoss Field airport in Novato at 6:22 p.m. in Winfrey's red and white single-engine Piper Arrow plane with the tail number N4958. Their intended destination was Mendocino County, California, but they never arrived.
Rodriguez is a Hispanic female with brown hair and brown eyes, is 5'5" tall, and weighs 205 pounds. She has a scar on her forehead and pierced ears. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing an orange or coral sweater, black leggings, and was carrying a white purse. A restaurant surveillance video captured Rodriguez wearing a rose-colored top with her hair in a bun shortly before she disappeared.
The last known location of the aircraft was detected by radar at 9:23 p.m. on October 23, 2019, approximately five miles off the coast between Rockport and Wheeler, California, before it disappeared from tracking. Verizon data indicates that Rodriguez attempted to use her phone at 9:14 and 9:15 p.m. that same evening. At the time of the incident, Winfrey had recently earned his pilot's license in March of the same year and was not yet rated for instrument flying, which is often required for flying at night or in certain weather conditions.
An extensive two-week search involving the U.S. Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and other agencies was conducted for Rodriguez, Winfrey, and the aircraft, but no signs of them or the plane were found. In early November 2019, the official search efforts were suspended. Both Rodriguez and Winfrey are presumed to be deceased, and the San Francisco Police Department is handling the investigation. Community efforts, including a GoFundMe campaign, were initiated to aid in the search.
Last Seen: Oct 23, 2019
