Missing Ojai woman found dead after 15-month long search

OJAI, Calif. (KEYT) – A woman reported missing since June 24, 2024 was found dead in the Ventura Riverbed on Sept. 24, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

A local conservancy group cleared invasive plants in the riverbed when they noticed skeletal remains, south of the Baldwin Road Bridge, according to the VCSO.

Zyanna Valora, a 21-year-old from Ojai, could not be immediately identified, but members of the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the remains were human, according to the VCSO.

Several other emergency crews helped recover Valora's body, and the VCMEO confirmed her identity on Sept. 26., according to the VCSO.

The VCMEO said there was no obvious lethal trauma to Valora, and both the cause and manner of death are under investigation, according to the VCSO.