By: Las Vegas Now Staff
It's a tragic conclusion to a missing persons case. The partial remains of a human body found in the Las Vegas Wash have been identified as a Henderson woman reported missing last year.
It was March of 2007 that 33-year-old Melanie Sutton was last seen alive by her boyfriend at the wash. Her family and friends have been searching for her ever since. But it was the exhaustive efforts of a volunteer search group that finally gave the Sutton family the answer they've been desperately seeking.
“It was always in the back of my mind that something bad did happen to her,” said Melanie's mother Cindy Sutton.
Cindy now knows that her beautiful daughter won't ever be coming home again. A human skull found on a small island in the middle of the Las Vegas Wash was identified by the coroner's office as the remains of the missing 33-year-old.
Sutton and Henderson Police say Melanie disappeared during a middle of the night outing to the wash with her boyfriend, Joe Lopez. Drugs were involved and Melanie's clothing was found scattered along the wash the next day by family members and volunteer searchers.
An emotional confrontation that day between Melanie's sister and her boyfriend has always left family members wondering if Melanie's disappearance was more than just an accident.
“There is still no evidence of foul play,” said Henderson Police Officer Todd Rasmussen.
Police say Lopez was questioned extensively and even passed a lie detector's test. Lopez maintains he and Melanie had a verbal argument and that she ran off into the water where he could not find her despite searching for hours.
If not for the exhaustive efforts of volunteers from the Nevada Center for Missing Loved Ones, Melanie's whereabouts might still be a mystery today.
“We did good. We did good and it feels good,” said Frank Mahoney with Nevada Center for Missing Loved Ones.
Now, Melanie's family is hoping someone in the community will come forward with information to provide the last piece of this agonizing puzzle.
“We would like to know what happened to Melanie. Was it an accident or was it something else?” said Sutton.
Anyone with information about Melanie Sutton's disappearance is urged to call Henderson Police or CrimeStoppers at 385-5555.
Email your comments to Reporter Alyson McCarthy
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I just want to thank the people who found melanie sutton, we have look often for her, we miss her so much, this is Pete and Ramona Sutton her aunt and uncle we love her very much and she will be missed so badly, we know now that she is at peace and can rest, but for who ever done this we just want you to know that someday GOD will get you, and if anyone out there ever knew what it was like to lose a love one you will come forward and let this be the end of the family wondering what happen to melanie, she was a beautiful women and had 3 beautiful children who now has no mother, again thank you so much for finding her so we can now put it almost to a close.
Comment by Ramona Sutton — March 29, 2008 @ 9:55 am
So where was Melanie, since she was found so close to where she was missing–and we scoured every inch–and the water wasn’t deep enough or the current strong enough to hold her under water–where was she Craig Ridings?
Comment by Barbara — March 29, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
I am not sure what is foul play- Melanies’s boyfriend Joe Lopez had scratches on his face from her, the same night she went missing. She was scared of him and in Joe’s own words she was trying to get away from him!!! and end result she is now DEAD. What would you consisder foul play.
Comment by shana sutton — March 30, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Henderson PD insisted that Melanie was in the water and drown. Family asked Henderson to bring dogs out to search for Melanie and they never did. If Henderson listened to the family Melanie would have been found much sooner. Go to my website http://www.myspace.com/greywolf598 read the blog titled “Henderson PD You Suck” and look at the map showing the area of the Las Vegas Wash where Melanie went missing. None of the key points listed on this Map were found by Henderson but by the endless friends and family search that took place over 391 days. Without the help of the Nevada Center for Missing Loved Ones and the endless efforts of friends and family that helped search for Melanie she may never have been found.
Comment by Gerald — March 30, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
Here is the direct link to the blog I mentioned in my previous comments
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=8694072&blogID=372002161
Comment by Gerald — March 30, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
what about someone at the store that morning heard joe’s friend say to joe “what do i have to go dig another grave out in the desert for you?” interesting huh!!!
phyllis
Comment by phyllis — April 1, 2008 @ 7:47 am
Melanie was my family and my friend for over 25 years. I was part of the search team that searched and searched for her. Henderson PD is supposed to protect and serve and they did neither for Melanie or the Sutton family. I just want to clear something up for everyone. Family and friends searched for Melanie, while Henderson PD stood at the top of a hill and watched, not even getting there shoes wet. I would like to know how Officer Rasmussen can say there was no foul play! Not only being an insensitive statement, but also not a very accurate one. Is there something Henderson PD knows that we don’t, because this has foul play written all over it. The lack of effort by the Henderson PD is exactly why I will never move back to Henderson, they don’t protect or serve, atleast they didn’t in this case. Melanie was part of the Henderson community for 28 years, and deserves justice.
Melanie was a special person and touched everyone she ever met. She was kind hearted and never did anyone harm. She will be greatly missed. Her 3 children and her family will be forever in our prayers.
Thank you to Frank Mahoney and the Nevada Center for missing Loved Ones, this organization is just what the community needed.
Comment by Summer Painter — April 2, 2008 @ 9:11 am