SEDGWICK COUNTY– Over the last 15 months the Maize Police Department has been actively investigating the disappearance of 31-year-old Kendra Nystrom who disappeared from her parent’s home on May 4, 2017.

The Maize Police Department in a media release reported Friday they had followed up on tips and alleged sightings of Kendra from as far away as Mexico with the help from many different law enforcement and other government agencies.

“Volunteers and canine search teams have assisted in searching parks, creeks and other areas for Kendra. The Kansas Chapter of Texas Equusearch, the same volunteers who searched for Lucas Hernandez, began searching for Kendra on July 7, 2018.

Two days later, members of this group made two significant discoveries in the Cowskin Creek near where Kendra was last seen: an article of clothing similar to what she was last seen wearing and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center confirmed that a second item tested positive for her DNA. We intentionally withheld announcing this information to the public until we had these results and had notified Kendra’s family.

Based on the recent discoveries by Equusearch and the confirmation of Kendra’s DNA through forensic science, along with the totality of the circumstances surrounding Kendra’s disappearance, we believe it highly probable that Kendra went into the flooded creek on May 4, 2017 and likely drowned.

However, because we can neither prove or disprove this theory due to the lack of human remains, Kendra is still considered a missing person and her case remains open.

In September of 2017, the creek was searched by canines trained in the detection of human remains and while the dogs showed an interest in a particular area of the creek, no human remains were found. The investigation then focused on several tips and other reported claims that Kendra had been the victim of foul play. We announced on the one-year anniversary of her disappearance that we regretfully believed Kendra was deceased based partially on these tips and other known facts about the case. We did this in hopes of drawing further information from those individuals having first-hand knowledge that would lend credence to these claims. Minimal additional information was received. 

While we still hope to one day bring Kendra home to her family, we now have a working theory based on physical evidence to answers some of the questions that have troubled law enforcement and tormented Kendra’s family for over a year.”