Sunday, July 12, 2015

Palisade Woman & Child Reported Missing (Update: Mystery Driver)

UPDATE: Unidentified Man Gave Mother & Toddler Ride Into Grand Junction


UPDATE/July 14, 2015 at 4:50 p.m. -- Investigators are looking for an adult male who is believed to have dropped Shannon and Luke Kunkel off in Grand Junction, late in the morning on July 13. This man, dropped them off at Latimer House. If this person could come forward and call 244-3266, they could provide invaluable information about where the mother and son were originally found, where Shannon's car is located, etc. Shannon, thus far, has not been able to provide investigators with these details.


UPDATE/July 13, 2015 at 10:50 a.m. -- Shannon and Luke have been located and are okay. Investigators are on their way to meet with her, here in Grand Junction. We will provide an update as information becomes available. THANK YOU to everyone who has shared this information, and provided support and good thoughts to Shannon, Luke and their family.


Woman & Toddler Last Seen Saturday Night

Previously Released on July 12, 2015

Mesa County, Colo. -- Deputies were called to a home outside the city limits of Palisade by the parents of Shannon Kunkel, 34, to report her missing along with her toddler son. The 1 1/2 year old, Luke Kunkel, II, is assumed to be in the care of his mother, Shannon. Her vehicle is also missing, and likely the two are traveling in the 1992 Toyota Camry passenger car.

The vehicle is blue and has duct tape on the front right light. The Colorado license plates is: 180 GMQ. The attached photos were provided by her family and can be used by media to share this message.


Shannon is described as weighing about 200 pounds, 5'4" tall, with brown hair that has blonde ends and is likely in a pony tail. Shannon has a tattoo of a scorpion on her left forearm, just above her wrist.

Shannon has medical concerns that make her absence alarming. This is NOT a child abduction case, which is why is does not qualify for an Amber Alert. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation released a media advisory this morning on this case. You can view that advisory here. (Please note in the CBI advisory, the media contact number is incorrect. The correct media contact is listed on the right column of this site.)

Anyone who sees Shannon and Luke, or has seen them, should report it to our local dispatch at: (970) 242-6707.

Updates will be provided as they become available. To get automatic updates from this blog site, enroll your email address in the top right box to get the next blog post direct in your email box.