Missing Woman Sadly Found Deceased Following Multi-Agency Search

Pioneer,  CA — Over the past week, search and rescue teams from over a dozen neighboring counties, including Tuolumne and Calaveras, had been searching for a missing woman in Amador County.

79-year-old Christine Merten went missing from her Pioneer home last Monday. State of California officials were also involved in the search, and it totaled hundreds of people on the ground searching, along with canine teams. Equipment utilized included a drone with thermal imagery and multiple helicopters.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Office reports that Merten was located yesterday, deceased, by a canine team in a rugged and brushy area north of her home. The Amador County Coroner’s Office is investigating the cause of death, but at this point officials do not suspect foul play.