Isabella Comas: Search for missing woman expands to Gila County

PHOENIX - Police say 21-year-old Isabella Comas, who was last seen leaving a friend's house in Avondale, is believed to be seriously injured.

The backstory:

Comas was last seen on Jan. 11, and on Jan. 12, Comas' phone was found at a Phoenix recycling center.

The next day, on Jan. 13, a Turquoise Alert was issued for Comas.

Detectives say Comas' 39-year-old boyfriend, identified as Tommy Rodriguez, is a person of interest in her disappearance. He is currently charged with theft and criminal damage in connection with Comas' vehicle.

The Latest:

Avondale Police officials say physical evidence led them into Gila County, where they are trying to narrow in on a location where Comas could be.

Authorities say time is of the essence to help her.

"Right now, we consider [Comas] to be seriously injured, and it's very important that we find her as quickly as possible," said Officer Daniel Benavidez of the Avondale Police Department.

Avondale police say they are working with authorities in Gila County to aid in the search.

"We've partnered with the Gila County Search and Rescue teams because we believe that may be a place where Isabella is," Benavidez said. "I can't go into precise locations of where she may be, but we are looking in that area."

Dig deeper:

Reports from a friend and Rodriguez himself indicate the couple fought the morning Comas went missing. According to court documents, a person matching Rodriguez's description was seen on surveillance video in Globe, driving Comas' car in the early morning hours of Jan. 12. This was the day after Comas was reported missing by a friend who expected her to pick them up for work.

"We put all these circumstances together—the idea that Isabella was last seen in her vehicle, she was last known to be around her boyfriend, and she had a fight with her boyfriend—and that's a circumstance that alerts us as well," Benavidez said.

Flock safety cameras showed the vehicle returning to the Phoenix area from Globe later in the day on Jan. 12. The car was eventually found in Phoenix on Jan. 13 after a resident reported a vehicle matching the description listed on the Turquoise Alert issued for Comas.

When police processed the car, they found bloodstains in multiple locations. The vehicle was missing the entire passenger seat (minus the headrest), the glove compartment, and the lining of the trunk. Inside, investigators also found trash bags, a tarp, gas canisters, and bows and arrows.

"We saw items in the car that could be used to seriously hurt someone and we also observed bloodstains in the vehicle," Benavidez said. "Believing that Isabella was the last one to be in that vehicle, that's what makes us so concerned for her safety."

Police say the Turquoise Alert and Flock cameras continue to be major assets in the investigation.