Adrienne Salinas
Case Information:
Adrienne Celeste Salinas, age 19, disappeared from Tempe, Arizona, in the early morning hours of June 15, 2013. A student at GateWay Community College, she vanished after a party at her apartment near West Fifth Street and South Hardy Drive.
Tragically, her remains were discovered nearly two months later, on August 6, 2013, in a desert wash located in Apache Junction. The FBI and local police have spent over a decade searching for answers in her mysterious death.
Case Details:
Adrienne was an aspiring journalist known for her intelligence and motivation. She was very close with her younger brother and had been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Francisco, since eighth grade.
On the night she vanished, Adrienne was reportedly traveling between her home and Scottsdale. Her white 2002 Mercury Sable was found abandoned with two flat tires after a minor accident near Rio Salado Parkway.
Timeline of Events:
Adrienne was last seen leaving her apartment around 4:00 a.m. on June 15, carrying an overnight bag. Phone records show she called her boyfriend 11 times and texted him to say she was on her way.
At 4:53 a.m., she arranged a pickup at a nearby AM/PM convenience store, but she was gone when the driver arrived. Her phone was turned off at 5:07 a.m., marking the last trace of her activity.
Investigation:
The Tempe Police Department reclassified the case as a homicide after her remains were recovered. While her boyfriend and the cab driver were cleared, investigators have explored links to local predators like Bryan Patrick Miller.
Heavy monsoon rains occurred before her remains were found, leading police to believe her body was washed into the basin from a different location. A $20,000 FBI reward remains active for information leading to an arrest.
Physical Appearance:
Adrienne is 5′ 5″ & 110lbs with brown hair and dark eyes. She stood out with a tribal sun tattoo behind her left ear and a lip piercing with a clear stone. She also had a distinct four-inch scar on the right side of her back.
She was 19 years old and described as having a feminine, frail build. When she disappeared, she was carrying a packed overnight bag that has never been recovered by authorities.
Current Status:
As of May 2026, the death of Adrienne Celeste Salinas remains an unsolved homicide. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the FBI continue to seek new leads and forensic breakthroughs to solve the case.
Her family remains dedicated to finding justice and keeping her story in the public eye. Authorities believe that someone in Maricopa County may still hold critical information that could break the case open.
Contact Information:
Anyone with information regarding the murder of Adrienne Celeste Salinas is urged to contact the Tempe Police Department at (480) 350-8311. You may also provide anonymous tips to the FBI
at 1-800-CALL-FBI or through the Silent Witness program.
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