On a trip intended to be a journey towards healing, 31-year-old Candace Manuelito, a member of the Navajo Nation, vanished on September 17, 2021. She was traveling with her mother from St. Michael's, Arizona, with the goal of reaching a treatment center in Phoenix. However, as they neared Holbrook, Arizona, Candace expressed a desire to seek help at a facility nearby instead. This change of plans led them into the city of Holbrook, where the circumstances surrounding her disappearance would become unsettlingly vague. At the time she went missing, Candace was described as being 5'4' and weighing 120 pounds, with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes.
The last confirmed sighting of Candace was in Holbrook, after her mother stopped at a Wells Fargo bank. While her mother was inside the bank, Candace reportedly exited the vehicle and began walking away. Shortly after, her mother saw her walking near Gillespie Park. She attempted to get Candace's attention by calling out to her and honking the car horn, but Candace continued to walk away without responding. She has not been seen or heard from since that moment. When she was last seen, Candace was wearing a black and white striped shirt, tan pants, Vans shoes, and a purple and gray jacket. She was also carrying a distinctive bag described as being dark on the sides and yellow on the ends, or as a blue and yellow shoulder bag.
The investigation into Candace Manuelito's disappearance is being handled by the Holbrook Police Department. Despite the passage of time, few details have emerged to shed light on what might have happened to her after she walked away. Her case is classified as an endangered missing person, and she is listed as a missing person by the FBI. The lack of information and the sudden nature of her disappearance have left her family and community with unanswered questions and profound concern. The overview of the case is that Candace willingly left her mother's car and was seen walking away, but her subsequent whereabouts and the reasons for her unresponsiveness remain unknown, creating a deeply troubling mystery.
Last Seen: Sep 17, 2021
