Police in Santa Cruz County say they now believe foul play was involved in the disappearance of a 35-year-old woman who vanished near Rio Del Mar State Beach late last week.
According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Danielle Staley was last seen around 11:23 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, near the quiet coastal community just south of Aptos. Investigators say she hasn’t been heard from since.
Staley is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds, with blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and leopard-print leggings. Authorities say she is “at risk,” though they have not released details on what led them to suspect foul play.
Over the weekend, detectives canvassed the area near Rio Del Mar. As part of their investigation, they’re now asking residents and business owners to turn over any surveillance footage from the nights of November 5 through November 7 — a roughly 48-hour window they believe could help piece together her last movements.
“Detectives have been diligently working to track down any information and continue to do so,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement Sunday.
Rio Del Mar State Beach is known for its serenity — a stretch of sand favored by families, dog walkers, and early-morning surfers. It’s not the kind of place where people simply disappear. But as the search for Staley continues, that sense of calm has been replaced with unease.
The fact that the sheriff’s office has already cited foul play so early in the investigation suggests they’ve uncovered evidence pointing away from an accidental disappearance — and toward something darker.
For now, the search for Danielle Staley continues. Deputies have not said whether they’ve identified any persons of interest, but they’re urging anyone who was near Rio Del Mar on the night of November 6 to come forward, no matter how small the detail might seem.
