Christina Marie Plante: 5 things about Arizona woman who went missing in 1994 and was found three decades later

Christina Marie Plante, from Arizona, disappeared when she was 13 only to be found over three decades later, living a different life.

Christina Marie Plante, from Arizona, disappeared when she was 13 only to be found over three decades later, living a different life. Gila County Sheriff's Office made the announcement in a social media statement.

Christina Marie Plante had gone missing when she was 13. (X/@boredpanda)

“The Gila County Sheriff's Office is announcing the successful resolution of a decades-old missing person case that began in May 1994, when 13-year-old Christina Marie Plante disappeared from Star Valley, Arizona,” the statement began.

“Christina was reported missing after she vanished without a trace from her community. At the time of her disappearance, extensive search efforts were conducted involving local law enforcement, volunteers, and regional resources. Despite exhaustive ground searches, interviews, and investigative follow-up, no viable leads were developed,” it added.

“Christina was entered into national missing children databases, and missing person flyers were distributed locally, statewide, and in other parts of the country. Over the years, the case remained open and active, with investigators periodically re-examining evidence and pursuing new information as it became available. The formation of the Gila County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit marked a renewed commitment to unresolved | investigations. Utilizing advances in technology, modern investigative techniques, and detailed case review, detectives developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough,” the statement further continued.

It concluded by saying “After 32 years, Christina Marie Plante has been located alive. Investigators have confirmed her identity, and her status as a missing person has been officially resolved. This case underscores the importance of cold case review initiatives and the impact of evolving technology in bringing long-awaited answers to families and communities. The Sheriff's Office extends its gratitude to the investigators, analysts, partner agencies, and community members who contributed to keeping this case active over the decades. Out of respect for Christina's privacy and well-being, additional details will not be released at this time. The Gila County Sheriff's Office remains committed to pursuing all unresolved cases and encourages anyone with information regarding other cold cases to come forward.”

Here's all you need to know about Christina Marie Plante.

Christina Marie Plante: 5 things to know

1. Plante was last seen on May 15, 1994. She is about 44 years of age now.
2. Plante was headed to the a nearby stable from her Payson, Arizona home, where her horse was kept, when she went missing. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, and was seen in a white tee shirt with red, yellow, and blue shorts the day she went missing. Plante also had black tennis shoes on, the missing persons report from that time read.
3. Authorities had thought she'd been kidnapped but Plante communicated to Capt. Jamie Garrett that she'd left of her own accord.
4. Plante also confirmed that she had left on purpose with assistance from other people. Plante is now living under a different name and acknowledged her identity to Garrett. However, she offered few other details except that she left of her own volition with the help of family members she was in contact with.
5. Plante was found living in Springfield, Missouri, in a five-bedroom house she shares with her husband, Shaun Hollon, 49, according to the Daily Mail. The couple reportedly married in 1998, four years after Plante's uncle reported her missing. They have three children together and Plante then got her psychology degree and landed a job with a private investigations firm.

“She said that was a long time ago, that was an old life. She’s in her adult life. She has her family now. That’s not something she even thinks about,” Garrett further said of Plante, as per NewsNation. Plante's husband, Hollon, knew about her runaway status before they'd tied the knot. Cops had long suspected that Plante's mother, Mary, had kidnapped her. Notably, she did not have any legal custody of her daughter.