Woman vanished after receiving terminal diagnosis. Authorities found her remains in a forest 3 years later
The remains of Svetlana Ustimenko, a Florida woman who disappeared in 2023, were found in Colorado
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- Authorities had been searching for Svetlana Ustimenko since August 2023
- Her family said that she was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the time of her disappearance
- Three years later, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said remains found in a forest were positively identified as Ustimenko
Colorado authorities confirmed that human remains found in a forest last month belonged to a woman in her mid-50s who disappeared three years ago.
According to a Friday, Aug. 14, news release from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, the remains were positively identified as Svetlana Ustimenko.
Authorities had been searching Ustimenko, whom they previously described as a missing and endangered woman from Florida, since August 2023.
Ustimenko’s family told officials that she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, adding that she was “struggling to cope with the diagnosis and felt a strong pull toward the Colorado mountains.”
The sheriff’s office said Ustimenko’s rental vehicle was first spotted in July 2023 parked at the Deadhorse Trailhead off County Road 73 in Colorado’s Arapaho National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office investigated further after noticing the vehicle, which was due to be returned the following month, remained parked for an extended period of time.
Authorities later determined the vehicle had been rented by Ustimenko after contacting the rental agency and her family.
The search for Ustimenko in August 2023 included ground teams, K-9s and mounted and aerial units, the sheriff’s office added, but there was no trace of the woman.
On July 13 of this year, the sheriff’s office was notified of human remains found in the Fraser Experimental Forest off County Road 72, outside of Fraser, Colo. The sheriff’s office and the Grand County Coroner’s Office then recovered the remains after an initial investigation.
Two days later, authorities conducted a second search of the area and came up with additional remains.
“The Grand County Coroner’s Office has positively forensically identified the remains as those of Svetlana Ustimenko and has been in contact with her family,” the sheriff’s office said.
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Authorities did not disclose the cause and manner of Ustimenko’s death in the news release.
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said in a press statement, “This case highlights the incredible work and dedication of our professional Search and Rescue volunteers from Grand County and our surrounding entities.”
Schroetlin continued, “While this is a heartbreaking outcome, we hope it brings a degree of closure to her loved ones. The family and I are deeply grateful to these volunteers for their courageous efforts and unwavering dedication.”
