Alicia Navarro's disappearance and reappearance

Gone and back...

1. What are the key details of this case ?

Alicia Navarro, an autistic 14-year-old girl, disappeared from her Glendale, Arizona home on September 15, 2019, leaving a note stating she ran away but would return. After nearly four years, on July 27, 2023, she reappeared at a police station in Havre, Montana, over a thousand miles from her home, requesting to be removed from the missing persons list. Upon her reappearance, she stated she was safe and healthy, and wished to move forward with her life.

2. What role did Edmund Davis play in Alicia Navarro's case?

Edmund Davis, a 36-year-old man, was living with Alicia Navarro in Havre, Montana, at the time of her reappearance. He was arrested in October 2023 and charged with child sexual abuse after police found explicit images involving minors on his phone. In February 2025, Davis was sentenced to 100 years in prison with 50 years suspended for child sexual abuse. While he was linked to Alicia during her time in Montana, evidence directly connecting him to her initial disappearance in Arizona remains scarce, and the investigation into that aspect is ongoing.

3. What were the circumstances surrounding Alicia's reappearance in Montana?

Just one day before her reappearance at the police station, Alicia was reportedly heard arguing heatedly with a man she was living with in Havre, Montana. A neighbor, Garrett Smith, overheard Alicia yell, "I will go back," during this altercation. When she did present herself to the police, she was alone and appeared unharmed, insisting she was not held against her will. Police confirmed she came forward of her own free will and was cooperative with their inquiries.

4. How did law enforcement and Alicia's family react to her reappearance?

The Glendale Police Department expressed mixed emotions of happiness and hope for closure for the family, emphasizing that Alicia was "safe, healthy, and happy." They immediately began investigating, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Service and the FBI, acknowledging that this was only the beginning of unraveling the full story. Alicia's mother, Jessica Nuñez, publicly recounted the emotional reunion but also expressed frustration over the public harassment her family faced during Alicia's absence, appealing for privacy and respect for her daughter.

5. What challenges did investigators face in this case, and what aspects are still unclear?

The nearly four-year gap between Alicia's disappearance and reappearance presented significant investigative challenges, with a lack of leads during her absence leading to extensive speculation. While Alicia stated she left voluntarily, the "dynamics surrounding that decision" are still under investigation. Authorities are still working to determine how she traveled to Montana, who she was with during the four years, and the full extent of Edmund Davis's involvement. Despite Davis's conviction for child sexual abuse, a direct link between him and her initial disappearance has not been established.

6. What is the official stance on Alicia's status and the nature of her disappearance?

Police confirmed that Alicia is still considered a victim, despite her own statements that she was not held against her will. Initially, her disappearance was viewed as a runaway situation, based on a note she left and her initial statements. However, law enforcement maintains that "all options are on the table" regarding the full circumstances of what transpired during the four years she was missing, and they continue to investigate potential criminal elements or individuals involved. She is not facing any charges herself.

7. How does the Alicia Navarro case highlight the role and challenges of social media in missing persons investigations?

The Alicia Navarro case demonstrates social media's potential as a powerful tool in missing persons investigations, as platforms like TikTok were used by her mother to raise awareness and maintain public attention on the case. However, it also underscored significant challenges, including the risk of misinformation, unwarranted speculation, and the potential for harassment of affected families. Jessica Nuñez's experience of public scrutiny and harassment exemplifies the negative consequences of heightened public interest and online visibility, highlighting the need for ethical guidelines in public engagement with such sensitive cases.

8. What broader implications does this case have for missing persons advocacy and alert systems?

Alicia Navarro's case has contributed to important conversations about missing persons advocacy, particularly regarding the disparities in media coverage for different cases. While her story gained significant visibility, it brought attention to the fact that not all missing persons cases receive equal attention or resources. The case also highlights the ongoing need for comprehensive support systems for affected families and responsible, balanced media coverage. In Arizona, alert systems like the "Endangered Person Alert" and "Silver Alert" exist to aid in locating missing individuals, but there are ongoing discussions, as seen with the proposed amendments to Arizona's missing person alert bill, to ensure these systems are more inclusive and address specific community needs, such as those faced by Indigenous populations.