Kiely Rodni case: Officials say body found in Sierra reservoir is likely that of missing teen

TRUCKEE — Officials in Truckee said Monday the body found in a vehicle submerged in Prosser Creek Reservoir had not been positively identified but was likely that of missing teenager Kiely Rodni.

“We believe it is our missing person,” said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon at a press conference. “We have not been able to positively identify, but it’s more than likely.”

A volunteer dive team helping in the search for missing Truckee teen located the 16-year-old’s body inside a vehicle submerged in 14 feet of water.  

Earlier Monday morning, the dive team – Adventures With Purpose – announced in a live stream that it found Rodni’s silver 2013 Honda CRV and human remains at the lake. 

Her disappearance had triggered a massive search of the region by local, state and federal law enforcement officials and volunteers. At numerous press conferences, they told reporters they were treating the case as an abduction.

Rodni was last seen attending a large party of teens and young adults on Aug. 6 at the nearby the Prosser Family Campground. Investigators were able to gather more than 1,800 tips in the case including cell phone videos from the partygoers, but could not find any evidence of her leaving the party. 

She was driving a silver 2013 Honda CRVN with a California license plate No. 8YUR127 and her cell phone stopped working that night.  

Her friend, Sami Smith was at the party with her and said Rodni had been planning to spend the night at the campground.

“I know that she wasn’t in the right mindset or state to drive. And if she were to have driven, she wouldn’t have made it far,” Smith told KOVR-TV.

The search grew to a wide area of California and Nevada and involved at least 16 local, state and federal enforcement agencies. Dozens of family and friends also searched and offered a $50,000 reward.