Nita Mayo Missing Since August 8, 2005 Sonora, CA

[NM]

Nita and her loved ones are in my prayers and positive thoughts.
Below are some things I gathered from the articles here at SM on Nita and some info on the area her car was found.
hugs and kisses to Nita nad her loved ones.

Info on Nita Mayo  
Nita Mayo has been missing since August 8, 2005  when she had breakfast with a friend before leaving Hawthorne, NV for a day trip over the Sonora Pass. She has not been seen since.
http://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=18434
Son works to keep Mayo in spotlight
Published: September 23, 2005
By AMY LINDBLOM
Nita Mayo's car was later found in the parking lot at the Donnell Vista overlook but the Hawthorne, Nev. woman hasn't been seen since.
Mayo’s car was discovered with her purse, cell-phone and keys inside around Donnell Vista on Highway 108 shortly after she disappeared.
“The note just said she was on the part of Sonora Pass that Steve (her boss) had told her about,” Pete Mayo said. “She was looking out over a meadow and listening to the sounds of the mountains.”
A glimmer of a lead came last Sunday, when a San Jose man at the Donnell Vista overlook spotted something yellow floating in Donnell Reservoir, 1,000 feet below. When Nita Mayo disappeared, investigators believe, she was wearing a yellow shirt. Upon seeing the yellow object, Joe Fedor called the Sheriff's Department to urge someone to fly over the lake to see what it was. But unpredictable wind conditions above the lake prevented that.
Two sheriff's investigators went to the vista overlook Monday, but they saw nothing, said Lunney.


Info on area where car found

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/news/2006/2006-0303-donnell.shtml
Donnell Vista Vandalized
Sonora, CA (March 3, 2006) ...The Forest Service today announced that the safety railing at Donnell Vista overlook, a popular scenic rest stop and picnic area, was stolen over the winter months. Located approximately 13 miles northeast of Pinecrest along Highway 108, Donnell Vista is a very popular destination for scenic viewing, interpretive programs, school trips, weddings and photography. The vista overlooks the spectacular Middle Fork Stanislaus River Canyon, Donnell Reservoir, and the Dardanelles.
Forest officials discovered in early January that the overlook viewing platform was missing its circular aluminum alloy railing. According to Julie Martin, Summit Ranger District Public Service Program Leader, “All that remained filled a small baggie.” To provide for public safety, the area will be gated and temporarily closed until necessary repairs can be made. The vista point is currently blanketed by snow, about eight miles beyond the Highway 108 snow-closure gate, and not currently accessible to motorists.
“It is hard to understand why someone would remove a safety railing from an overlook” stated Summit District Ranger Karen Caldwell. “We are optimistic that we can replace the railing this coming summer. We will reopen the site to the public as soon as we can assure public safety needs are met.”
Anyone with information regarding this theft-vandalism of public property is asked to please contact Stanislaus NF Law Enforcement Patrol Captain Jay Power at (209) 532-3671, ext. 314

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/09/06/SP97519.DTL&type=printable
-- DIRECTIONS TO DONNELLS VISTA: From Sonora, drive east on Highway 108 for 31 miles (just past the Dodge Ridge turnoff) to the town of Strawberry. Continue on Highway 108 for 16 miles to the Donnells Vista parking area on the left. Turn left, park and walk five minutes to Donnells Vista.

Business near to Donnell
Donnell Vista about 6 miles from Pigeon Flat Campground
Mi Wuk Village Inn

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/summit/hiking.shtml
Pigeon Flat Campground 24 miles east of Pinecrest on Highway 108.
Donnell Vista (0.25 mile) A ¼ mile paved trail with signs along the way, leads to an overlook with sweeping views of the Middle Fork Stanislaus River Canyon, and Donnell Reservoir. On Highway 108 about 18 miles east of Pinecrest.

Donnell Vista about 6 miles from Pigeon Flat Campground


http://www.miwukvillageinn.com/heaven.htm
Mi Wuk Village Inn; Busy working to help make dreams come true: Family Vacation Scholarship Program
Here are some of our favorite "get away" places just minutes up Highway 108. The photos are in order of traveling "up the hill."
40 min.
Without a doubt, this is one of the most spectacular vista points on Sonora Pass, with the exception of the entire pass itself! It's just a little unassuming sign marked "Donnell's Vista Point  Pull into the parking lot and be sure to take the path that leads to the right. At first you'll think it isn't much...until you keep walking. Be sure to walk all the way to the end and the lookout point. Then look down 1,100 feet into the Stanislaus River and across the huge ravine to the magnificent Dardanelle's, an ancient lava flow still remaining on the top of the Sierras after millions of years. Truly worth the trip!



good map
http://www.google.com/notebook/public/03804814892893217932/BDQw0IgoQvpXxks0h

[FoolsGold]

Mayo’s car was discovered with her purse, cell-phone and keys inside around Donnell Vista on Highway 108 shortly after she disappeared.

I believe a camera was not found inside the car, leading some to believe she went on a very brief walk for a photo opportunity and came to grief in some manner. I can't quite see a woman leaving her purse and cell phone behind though no matter what the purpose of her excursion was.

I've no idea why this case has suddenly been re-invigorated: 'something yellow' in the reservoir could certainly have been observed and photographed. They have telescopes and cameras don't they?

[NM]

Hi FoolsGold,
Thanks for posting here!

I don't know why or the details but the case was turned over to the FBI and the officials re-classified the case as a “missing person with suspicious circumstances"
http://missingexploited.com/2005/11/15/fbi-to-handle-case-of-missing-hawthorne-woman-nita-mayo/
That's what made me google the area where her car was found, to see what "business" are near by.  I was surprised that there was a report of vandalism there.

When I read just her camera was missing I thought the same thing.  And as a female, who loves handbags, I would definitly leave my handbag in the car. It's too much extra stuff to carry when photographing or away form it for a short time.  However, I would carry my cell phone and swiss army knife, but that is b/c i did not grow up around that kind of big country.

I hope she is OK and returned to her family.

[FoolsGold]

I hope she is OK and returned to her family.

Wandering without a coat, food or water on cold desert nights and she can't find her way back to civilization for two years? She is dead!!

[mrs. red]

I hope she is OK and returned to her family.

Wandering without a coat, food or water on cold desert nights and she can't find her way back to civilization for two years? She is dead!!
[/quote

that may be the case, but you sure sound like "who cares" and to put it simply... I do, her family does....

I hope that it just sounded so callous on the screen and that isn't how you meant it..

[NM]

Thanks Mrs. Red. I care, you care, many people care.  Some of us never met her.

The pictures that I saw on the internet of the area that her car was found do not seem to be desert.  I believe it is in the Stanislaus National Forrest.
I think she would have taken her handbag and cell phone and coat if she planned to be wandering for 2 years.

Foolsgold I know your comment was aimed at my comment and not so much at Nita. I know it sounded child-like, innocent, a long-shot, far from reality or stupid.  But it is my hope for her that she is OK.

[FoolsGold]

I know it sounded child-like, innocent, a long-shot, far from reality or stupid.  But it is my hope for her that she is OK.

Its often difficult in searches to balance the expenses to the public and the inconvenience and danger to volunteers with the realistic assessment of the situation.

Family members want to "have hope"... so often do volunteers. In many situations people show up to search rugged terrain while wearing loafers or high heels. Untrained volunteers are then themselves at risk.

[MuffyBee]

Family Renews Search for Hawthorne Nurse



Family members said Monday a major search is being organized for a missing Hawthorne woman who vanished without a trace two years ago this week.

The search for Nita Mayo, a nurse, is scheduled Aug. 18 and 19. The family said volunteers are needed to help with the effort.

The Mayo family is asking for help from search and rescue dog teams that have been trained and certified, especially in forensic search techniques and are available that weekend.

Nita Mayo has been missing since

Aug. 8, 2005, when she had breakfast with a friend before leaving Hawthorne for a day trip over the Sonora Pass.

"We feel it is absolutely imperative to get as many people as possible participating in this search," said her daughter, Tracy Mayo.

"If you are available on either Saturday or Sunday, please join us in helping the family in our continued search for our mother," she said.

The search area at the lookout point is one hour east of Sonora, Calif., on California 108. Those interested may call 925-600-8084, ext. 5 for more information.

How to help
For more information on Nita Mayo:
missingexploited.com/category/nita-mayo

For more details about search efforts:
Contact Mike or Bridget Melson at 925-600-8084, ext. 5 or e-mailto: mike@melson.com or Tracy Mayo 701-730-4949

http://tinyurl.com/2vtzkz

[MuffyBee]

Search for missing woman renewed

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=24144

[FoolsGold]

Search for missing woman renewed

Is there any evidence that has triggered renewed interest in this case. I recall it from long ago and was puzzled by a great many items, particularly that she may not have driven to that scenic overlook at all and that no woman would have gotten out of the car without her purse. In Hollywood a bunch of circling buzzards would have revealed the location of a corpse. In real life its far different. This area has been searched before. Is this a wise allocation of resources to search the same area again and again?

Does anyone recall if there was ever some reason someone might have wanted to do her harm? I have only a vague recollection of a car that had broken down in the area but don't really recall the details at all.

[NM]

Muffy,
Thank you for added the search info and contact info!

Fools,
The articles (all linked from the Front page of SM) say that the family members of Nita found no problems with anyone she knows.  Also the family reported that they found a note she wrote a day or two before left to go shopping near Sonora, California(see my 1st post)
“The note just said she was on the part of Sonora Pass that Steve (her boss) had told her about,” Pete Mayo said. “She was looking out over a meadow and listening to the sounds of the mountains.”
However there is an acticle I just found on SM frontpage.  This might be why there was renewed interest and the FBI changing this to a missing person with suspicious circumstances.
Sept 1 2005
Tuolumne County officials say they are interested in talking to 39-year-old Jewel Jeanne Rice of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mayo, a 64-year-old Hawthorne resident, was last seen when she left to go shopping near Sonora, California. Her car was later found abandoned in Tuolumne County. Officials say Rice, who also uses the alias Atencio, was in the area at the time of Mayo’s disappearance. They say Rice’s car may have had mechanical problems and that it is possible she was looking for help with her vehicle.

Here is the link to SM frontpage and all other links
http://www.scaredmonkeys.com/2007/08/08/family-asks-for-help-to-search-for-missing-nita-mayo/

[NM]

Fools,
You got that right about Hollywood!

But the handbag thing. I carry handbags, sometimes even a handbag in a bigger handbag, but would only carry it in a wilderness area if I need to use it to carry a bunch of stuff like cameras, drawing paper, pencils, water, etc if I was planning on hiking away from my car for an 1hr or so.  Otherwise my handbag is full of non-relavant to hiking stuff, like credit cards, coupons, cosmetics, nothing I would want/need in wilderness. Seriously, you got to walk around with one on your shoulder to realize what a pain/problem they can be when you don't need it.

[MuffyBee]

Search for missing woman renewed

Is there any evidence that has triggered renewed interest in this case. I recall it from long ago and was puzzled by a great many items, particularly that she may not have driven to that scenic overlook at all and that no woman would have gotten out of the car without her purse. In Hollywood a bunch of circling buzzards would have revealed the location of a corpse. In real life its far different. This area has been searched before. Is this a wise allocation of resources to search the same area again and again?

Does anyone recall if there was ever some reason someone might have wanted to do her harm? I have only a vague recollection of a car that had broken down in the area but don't really recall the details at all.

There was a case about a woman that was missing and somewhat similiar.  The woman was making a trip across Texas in her car.  The police found her car at the roadside, with her purse, keys and cell still in car.  Couldn't find woman, but they did find a man sleepinging in the shade of the car.  He didn't know anything about the whole thing, he said. He was traveling on foot.   There was a search made of the area, no woman found.  And then a helicopter search was done, and guess what?  They found the lady about 450 yds. from the car.  She had apparently stopped to gather some plants, as she was an herbalist and was bitten by a snake, as evident from marks on her ankle & autopsy.  She just didn't make it back to her car.  So you never know. 

[FoolsGold]

There was a somewhat similar case.  The woman was making a trip across Texas in her car. 

Thank you. I was referring to a hazily recalled disabled vehicle by the side of the road in the area of the woo

[FoolsGold]

Sorry about that.
This was a disabled car that had been seen near but not at the area where she went missing and it was thought she might have stopped for an overheated car.

[Nut44x4]

adding photo

[Edward]

Bringing forward some images I saved for refreence and also to not forget about Nita Mayo her daughter Cindy and her son Pete.. Or Trinity search and rescue, who did this search.
I have Some in this computer and I have some others in another computer..

[Edward]

I will not give up. I will not give in.

[MuffyBee]

http://nitamayo.com/

This Web Site is for those who would like to help the Mayo Family find our Mother,
Nita Mayo.





Nita Mayo left her home in Hawthorne, Nev., the morning of Aug. 8, 2005.  She had planned to take a day
trip over the Sonora Pass in California, HWY 108.  She may have possibly been planning to do some
shopping in small villages along the highway. Nita Mayo never made it home. Nita’s car was found about 2½
hours from her home at the Donnell Vista Overlook about 12 miles east of Strawberry, CA on HWY 108.
Her keys were locked inside the car (her car did have a keypad she could have used, but usually did not)
along with her purse, wallet and cell phone also were in the car. She had her camera and was wearing
prescription sunglasses.  Nita Mayo is 64-years-old, 5 foot tall, 140 pounds, has black hair w/ highlights. 
Nita was born in England and has a British accent. 


Contact Number for Information:

Tuolumne County Sheriff                        1-800-228-3592
**************************************
There are a number of features that can be accessed in article.   There are links, photos, guestbook, and so on.   Click on link at top of this post .  Features are on lower left side. 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYeM8Kh4WU
Nita Mayo (MISSING Aug 8, 2005) Strawberry, CA.