Gonzales’s family says that she “is slowly getting better,” and asks the public to “keep praying” that authorities catch the criminals.
Ms. Gonzales’s son, Joseph, who also works on the park grounds, sat with his mother in the ambulance before she was airlifted to University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson.
The person who found Ms. Gonzales said that she appeared to have head trauma and did not know if she had fallen.
Ms. Gonzales’s government vehicle could not be found in the area, which prompted an attempt to locate it being issued throughout the county. Sheriff’s Officers tracked Ms. Gonzales’s cell phone which was reportedly in the vehicle at the time it was stolen.
The search led them to Douglas where the vehicle was located at approximately 7:00 pm.
Sheriff Dannels said, “We have all available resources dedicated to this case and we are working closely with our local, state, and federal partners to identify the suspect(s) who apparently seriously injured a federal employee, before stealing her vehicle and fleeing the area. We will be diligent in our efforts to find those who are responsible for this senseless act and our thoughts and prayers are with her family in this very sad and stressful time.”
Many had speculated that Ms. Gonzales fell prey to illegal border crossers. According to many reports, the people crossing illegally now are more likely to be associated with criminal organizations.
Authorities are asking anyone who has information about the possible identity of the suspects to contact CCSO at (520) 432-9501.