The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office announced on Jan. 18 that it has found a body in its search for San Lorenzo Valley woman Jeanne Burke. Authorities are awaiting autopsy results to confirm that it is her.
Jeanne Burke
Burke, 73, apparently walked away from her home on Nov. 18 and has been missing ever since. She was considered high risk because she wasn’t wearing adequate clothing and had other medical concerns not shared due to privacy law.
She was reported later seen walking near the Quail Hallow Quarry in Felton. She was last seen wearing a red and black plaid jacket, black pants, one pink sandal, and one black sandal.
According to the sheriff’s office, the body was found in a “densely wooded area” as crews were searching for her in the area of Ice Cream Grade and Moore Ranch Road.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ryan Farotte said that on Jan. 17 and 18, search efforts for Burke were restarted after the recent storms passed. Search and Rescue analyzed data of areas that had been searched previously and looked for spots that might have been missed. He said that because of the mountain slopes and thick brush, it’s very difficult to search the area. Farotte said the team covered about 600 miles.
“They did a terrific job recovering a body in that mountainous terrain,” he said. “We never stopped looking.”
Farotte said that if the autopsy results show the body is not Burke, the search will continue for as long it takes to find her.