The Clues Found at Her House... #truecrimeinvestigation #truecrimeshorts #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

And Sierra picks them up, like this is when panic sets in because both phones show a welcome screen. That
backdrop that you see when a device is brand new. Except we know these aren't new.
And Sierra realizes that they have been factory reset, like wiped clean. And when she tries to log into Melissa's
iCloud, it seems like the password has been changed. So from the house, Sierra frantically calls her dad. He's not far
behind. He'd caught a ride with a co-worker. So whatever's going on, they can figure it out together when he gets
home. And when he gets there, he walks through the property with a different lens. Mark told us that he is a hunter
and a professional outfitter, someone who takes paying clients through back country terrain. So he like knows how to
read the land. And right away, he began looking for signs of a struggle. Well, Melissa's tough and she's not someone
who would have gone down without a fight. If someone forced her out of the house, there would be evidence of it.
But there isn't. Nothing is missing [music] and the only thing that catches his eye
is an unfamiliar set of tire tracks [music] in the driveway, but they share that driveway with a neighbor. Now from
what he can tell, he says they're still unknown, maybe not the neighbor's car, but they look like they might have come
from a Jeep. Not knowing what else to do, Mark picks up the phone and calls New Mexico [music] State Police Dispatch
right around 5:00 p.m.

When Melissa Casias’s daughter returned home, both of her mother’s phones had been factory reset and displayed welcome screens. Attempts to access her iCloud account suggested the password had been changed.

Melissa’s husband searched the property for any signs of a struggle but found none. Nothing appeared out of place. The only unusual detail was a set of unidentified tire tracks in the driveway.

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Brief Summary

Melissa's phones are factory reset, raising alarms about her disappearance as her father investigates the scene.

Key points

Sierra's Panic. Sierra discovers both phones have been factory reset, raising alarm.
Mark's Investigation. Mark, a professional outfitter, searches for signs of struggle at the property.
Unfamiliar Tire Tracks. Mark finds an unknown set of tire tracks in the driveway, possibly from a Jeep.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

She’s tough and not someone who would have gone down without a fight.

Mark reflects on Melissa's character.

0:51WatchMay 5, 2026

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