Quick Take
The boyfriend of the Utah woman who went missing and was later found safe failed to appear for a hearing and is now wanted by police. Alex Nunez stands to forfeit the $25,000 bail he posted on charges related to Danielle Staley.
Late last month, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office announced that the Utah woman for whom deputies had searched extensively was found safe; on Wednesday, local authorities issued an arrest warrant for her boyfriend and have begun to look for his whereabouts.
Alex Thomas Nunez, 62, didn’t appear at the Santa Cruz County courthouse for arraignment on domestic violence charges on Wednesday morning.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nunez on Nov. 26 and charged him with domestic battery and criminal threats. He posted a $25,000 bond and was released, but when he failed to appear for his arraignment, a warrant was issued for his arrest and his bail bond was forfeited.
In the complaint, District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell accuses Nunez of committing the crimes on or about Nov. 6 against “Jane Doe,” with whom Nunez was in a dating relationship.
The day after the alleged offenses, on Nov. 7, Nunez reported that his longtime partner, Danielle Staley, 35, was missing. The Utah residents had been on a road trip in Nunez’s van and stopped in Santa Cruz several days before. Nunez told the sheriff’s office that the van was parked at Rio Del Mar State Beach the night Staley went missing.
County sheriff’s deputies began a widespread search for Staley, using drones to scan the shoreline and hillsides and reviewing security camera footage provided by residents and businesses.
Her family visited Santa Cruz County to put up missing person fliers, and they created a Facebook group, which hundreds of local residents joined in an effort to help. While in the area, Staley’s stepfather and sister organized a search party of about 20 people.
Days after the family’s visit, the sheriff’s office announced on Facebook that she had been located but didn’t provide further details.
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