GRAND COUNTY, Colo. — The Grand County Sheriff's Office has suspended their search for a missing Florida woman whose rental car was found at a trailhead, the sheriff's office said.
Crews began searching for Svetlana Ustimenko on Aug. 11. The sheriff's office said during the week of July 30, law enforcement saw a rental car parked at the Deadhorse Trailhead area off Grand County Road 73, in the Arapaho National Forest near the town of Fraser. The car looked like it had been parked there for a long time, with no signs of recent activity, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators said the car was supposed to be returned to the rental car company on Aug. 10, but was still parked at the trailhead.
Investigators determined the car was associated with Ustimenko, a Florida woman in her mid-50s. Multiple agencies searched for Ustimenko for several days, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office said Tuesday that "Grand County Search and Rescue has a high degree of confidence that Svetlana is not within the primary search area."
"Despite the use of ground rescuers both on and off-trail in difficult terrain with steep slopes, deadfall and thick brush, the use of multiple dog teams, Sheriff’s Office investigators covering terrain on horseback, and aerial assets (drones) on multiple days throughout the last week, we have still been unsuccessful in locating Svetlana Ustimenko," the office said in a news release. "Grand County Search and Rescue has estimated that around 750+ volunteer hours in addition to other law enforcement staffing have been devoted to the search efforts."
"Until additional clues or information surfaces, the search has been suspended by the Sheriff’s Office," the office wrote. "Grand County Search and Rescue may conduct small scale operations in areas they may determine to be of higher probability."
The sheriff's office said they have been in contact with Ustimenko's family in Florida, as well as with the Florida sheriff's office that initiated the missing persons case.
"Sadly, the family has shared that Svetlana had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, was struggling as she tried to cope and was attracted to the Colorado mountains," the Grand County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies said the trailhead where Ustimenko's car was found is commonly used by hikers, mountain bikers and others, and they're hoping to speak with anyone who may have seen Ustimenko, talked to her, or given her a ride to a different area.
Anyone with information that may help the investigation is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 970-725-3311.
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