05/31/2026
WINTON TEEN GOES MISSING 29 YEARS AGO
29 years ago today, 15-year-old Vanessa Dawn Smith went missing near her home in Winton, CA.
Vanessa regularly walked with her mother for their evening walk outside their home on Winton Way, along Mercedes Avenue. They would walk along Mercedes Avenue and cut through an almond field leading back to their house, a route that usually took no more than five minutes.
On the day of her disappearance, May 31, 1997, Vanessa decided to go for her evening walk alone between 6-7pm.
When Vanessa did not return home, her parents contacted the authorities.
The following day, the Mennonite community, to which Vanessa belonged to, canceled church services to assist in the search for her. The Merced County Sheriff's Office also used air support and a Cadaver dog to assist in the search.
The only known piece of physical evidence found was Vanessa’s walking stick, which she used to fend off stray dogs. The walking stick was discovered during the search, not far from Vanessa's home.
29 years later, the case remains unsolved.
In a recent phone interview with Beverly Smith, Smith said she continues to search for her daughter and has trust in god.
Merced Daily reached out to Detective Daniel Ramirez of the Merced County Sheriff’s Department, who is currently handling the case of Vanessa Dawn Smith. Detective Ramirez stated, "The Vanessa Dawn Smith case remains an active investigation. We pursue every tip and every lead." Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Ramirez at 209-385-7472, ext. 4983.
