After a long and difficult search, authorities have discovered the body of Tyna Castillo, a 42-year-old woman who went missing in December 2023. Castillo was reported missing on February 3, 2024, after her friends noted they hadn’t heard from her for weeks.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced that her body was found in the desert near Needles, California. This area is close to the Colorado River, where Castillo had traveled to visit someone. Investigators believe she may have been killed at a home in Needles, but they faced challenges during the investigation, including a lack of cooperation from witnesses.
The search for Castillo included eight different operations and the help of around 100 volunteers. Despite these efforts, the case went cold for several months until the sheriff’s Cold Case Homicide Team took over in September 2024. They reached out to new potential witnesses, which led to new information about the case.
On March 5, 2025, Castillo’s body was discovered, and it was determined that she had been shot. Detectives quickly identified a suspect, Jared Winer. He was arrested on unrelated charges in Arizona and is set to be extradited to California to face murder charges.
Castillo was described by her family as a creative and loving person who had a passion for music and cooking. Her disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her body have deeply affected her community and those who knew her. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding her death or the relationship between Castillo and Winer.