Remains Identified as Zyanya Valora, Missing Since June 24

Human skeletal remains found Sept. 24 in the Ventura Riverbed south of the Baldwin Road Bridge by a conservancy group were identified by the Ventura County Medical Examiner on Sept. 26 as 21-year-old Zyanya Valora. Valora, an Ojai Valley resident whose family said she had autism, had been missing since June 24, 2024, and was last seen at her Mira Monte home. Investigators said her phone was tracked to a location near the neighborhood the night she vanished and sheriff’s K‑9 teams tracked her scent to an area near the Oak View Community Center during the search. The medical examiner reported no obvious signs of lethal trauma; the cause and manner of death are pending and officials have not said whether the death is being treated as suspicious. The discovery prompted vigils, organized searches and widespread community support online, and a message on the “Find Zyanya Valora” Facebook page thanked the community and asked for privacy as the family grieves.