Lost? planned? Or foul play?

As a private investigator and search and rescue specialist, it's my duty to delve into the unknowns, to seek out the lost among us, and to provide answers to those left in waiting. Today, I want to share insights into the ongoing search for Chelsea Grimm, whose disappearance is still a mystery.

In late September 2023, Chelsea set-out on a road trip from Ocean Beach, CA, which would supposedly take her to a wedding all the way across the country in Connecticut. After traveling for three to four days Chelsea had only made it as far as Phoenix Arizona. For reasons still unknown her journey took an unexpected turn in the forests above Williams, Arizona. I have dedicated extensive time and resources to understanding her last known movements and to uncovering clues that could lead us to her current whereabouts.

A missing persons report was filed in Phoenix Arizona on October 4, 2023 and just a day later on October 5, 2023, Chelsea’s car was found abandoned with both passenger side tires flat on an obscure forest road about thirteen miles into the forest between Williams and Ash Fork Arizona.

The car had actually been there since September 30, 2023, and was right in the middle of the forest service road so it attracted attention from hunters and woodcutters that were in the area. Finally a husband and wife who were scouting the area for elk hunting called the suspicious vehicle into the Coconino County Sheriff’s Dept on October 5, 2023. Sheriff’s deputies tagged the vehicle at 11:55pm on October 5th and Search and Rescue was brought called-out. 

Search and rescue shared their search grids with me and they did cover a large area of terrain by foot and by air but there was no sign of Chelsea. The car was locked, the alarm was armed, Chelsea had apparently taken her phone, credit cards, cash, and it has been reported a sleeping bag (although I have not seen any proof there was a sleeping bag). 

I first went to Williams when Chelsea had been missing for almost three weeks. I was surprised that the terrain was mostly flat and the trees were short and sparse. It was not the rugged forest terrain I expected. In fact, it would be easy to hike out of this forest area.

On the second day I was in Williams I was able to go inspect the vehicle which is at a police impound. I inspected the exterior noting the blown out tires and some other damage. The interior was packed with personal items. Not items like you would expect for someone traveling to a wedding. It was more like someone said “you have twenty minutes to get as many things out of your apartment.” It was a hodgepodge of items. The car was in disarray which may have been from the Sheriff’s Department searching the vehicle but beyond that it was still filthy with cigarettes put out in the cupholders and dirty items rolled up and stuffed into crevices of the seats. It was consistent with what I have seen time and time again when a person is suffering a mental crisis.

The Sheriff’s Department had taken a few key items from the car into evidence. Items such as: a canon camera, Chelsea's computer, a second phone, her purse and wallet, journals, receipts and other items. Because the Sheriff's Department determined that a crime had not occurred they could not get search warrants to access her computer or phone. Because of this they turned all the evidence over to the private investigators. So I was able to pick up all the evidence. 

Chelsea’s Canon camera by far held the most clues. It provided a timeline of her movements starting on September 28th. The photos Chelsea took showed a person having a mental health crisis and not perceiving a true reality. 

Through our efforts, we've pieced together a narrative that, while incomplete, offers a glimpse into Chelsea's state of mind and potential intentions. Evidence suggests that she may have been looking to start anew, seeking refuge from personal troubles by going off-grid. This theory is supported by surveillance footage, witness statements, and the physical condition of her abandoned vehicle, found with two blown-out tires deep within the forest.

One of the more telling pieces of evidence I was able to obatin from a motel in Seligman, AZ, where Chelsea attempted to check in, paying with Euros telling the clerk at the hotel she wished to “stay off the grid”. This action, along with her reluctance to use her debit card, signals a desire for anonymity.

Moreover, interviews with locals and those who last interacted with her paint a picture of a woman who was not just fleeing but seemed to be preparing for a life disconnected from her past. A receipt from a gas station where she obtained fuel through an act of kindness also carried a handwritten note that hinted at her thankful yet determined mindset to find safety and perhaps a new beginning. The note also referenced someone from years ago in her past who is deceased. And there was more troubling indication that this person had entered her mindset recently but I will keep those details private.

There was much information in this case that confused the narrative. Bodycam footage showed an officer suggesting she sleep the night at a Love’s Truck Stop parking lot and it was assumed that happened. However I was able to meet with the General Manager of Love’s who showed me surveillance and it proved Chelsea was not there.

A confirmed sighting by means of a receipt in the same area was even more confusing as the clerk at this store is certain that Chelesa was in a different vehicle than her white SUV. 

What we do know is that Chelsea is still missing and unfortunately there is not a search effort in place to find her. In fact nobody from the family or investigation team is even in Williams Arizona. When law enforcement returned the evidence and said there was no indication of a crime they very clearly were saying: our search efforts are over unless there is new information to go on. As a member of a search and rescue team for one of the largest police departments in the world I can tell you this is the case. Search and rescue is not search and recovery. Sometimes families have a hard time hearing the truth of the matter but it’s this simple: if a missing persons case is not designated “endangered” or “at risk” then they are not searching for your loved one. They are simply in the NCIC system in case they encounter law enforcement. 

As the snow prepares to blanket the forest where Chelsea was last seen I worry about the case going cold. There is a small hope that this was a planned event by Chelsea. There were indications in the evidence that she was not happy with her life and the people in it and wanted to start anew. My fear is that she was on this journey to start anew when she blew out the tires and then genuinely became lost in the darkness. The last photography Chelsea took was from inside the car at 5:52 pm in the exact spot her car was found. There was only 18 minutes of daylight left. If she chose to hike out in the darkness and hiked the wrong direction by the time the sun came up she could have hiked fifteen or more miles into the desolate forest. 

I hope the search effort to find Chelsea is started back up and every available resource is put into finding her. This is what we do for family, friends, and fellow human beings. 

Respectfully,

Steve Fischer

Private Investigator and Search & Rescue Specialist

www.searchinvestigations.org