Coachella Valley couple now missing over a month
The families of Jonathan Darling Reynoso and Audrey Moran are collecting donations to offer a reward to anyone who can provide information leading to their loved ones’ whereabouts, as the couple mysteriously disappeared one month ago this Saturday.
Both missing person’s families say the search isn’t over. Audrey Moran’s mother, Maria Moran, says they’re expanding the search and raising money to offer a reward to anyone who may have more information on the couple’s whereabouts.
“I kept expecting a call, a text from her. It’s been 30 days and still there’s nothing. Every day that goes by, I just can’t imagine that there’s going to be another. And I wake in the morning, and yeah, there’s another day. So there’s no way I could’ve imagined it would have dragged out this long,” Mrs. Moran said.
Saturday marks one month since 26-year-old Audrey Moran and 28-year-old Jonathon Darling Reynoso vanished. The two were believed to have been together when Audrey’s car was found abandoned on the side of the I-10 near Banning.
“Let me tell you, every time we sit at dinner and we’re going to have a meal, I start to wonder if she’s eating, If she’s drinking enough water. The last time we were out in the sun, I kept thinking, my goodness, what if she’s out there and she’s in this heat. There’s so many things that go through your head. Even having a meal is not a good time for us, so I just hope that she’s out there and she’s safe,” Mrs. Moran said.
Mrs. Moran says they’ve searched and handed out flyers throughout Southern California and Arizona, and now they’re hoping to search part of Mexico.
“I really want to file a missing person report in Mexicali. It’s just spreading the word. Someone needs to know and someone knows something and maybe this way they’ll come out and share their info,” Mrs. Moran said.
Reynoso’s mother, Mayra Torres, is in New York, breaking the news to Reynoso’s grandparents. She says her hope hasn’t faded. You can find letters from Torres to her son and videos of him on her Facebook page.
The families have created a joint GoFundMe page, hoping to raise a total of $10,000 as a reward for anyone who has more information about the couple’s whereabouts.
“Sometimes when you bring the money up, maybe they’ll talk. I think there’s fear. People don’t want to get involved and that’s understandable, but my hope is that they realize that these two individuals are a son, a daughter, granddaughter, grandson, a sister, a brother, and it can be any one of their families, so I ask that they help us out,” Mrs. Moran said.
Read: Couple reported missing after police find woman’s vehicle parked near I-10 in Beaumont
Jonathan is a 28-year-old man from Cathedral City and Audrey is a 26-year-old woman from Coachella.
A Go Fund Me account was created by Sandra Torres-Martinez in May, but the goal of the campaign has now shifted to the sole purpose of raising a reward to obtain more information about the couple’s disappearance.
The Go Fund Me account describes the pain the families are going through as they continue to reach out for answers to find their loved ones. The families began an aggressive social media campaign as soon as the couple went missing.
Check out the timeline of missing couple’s disappearance
The Go Fund Me account states:
“Dear Jonathan
On 5/10/17 you and Audrey disappeared without a trace, both families began a fast paced social media campaign to find you. Jonathan, your mom arrived in California immediately and began a tireless hunt for you. You know her drive is relentless. I can not imagine the fear that she and Audrey’s parents were and are feeling as more than two weeks have past without a word, a sign of what has happened or a lead as to where you and Audrey could possibly be, but I know your mom Jonathan, she will never give up and neither will your family. I don’t know the Moran’s, but that is their baby girl, I am sure that the entire Moran family has the same relentless drive.”
The Go Fund Me account lists $25,000 as the goal, but Lauren Coronado learned the families are hoping to collect $5,000.
When the search for the missing couple first began, officers located Audrey Moran’s vehicle as it was pulled to the side of I-10, west of Oak Valley Parkway in Beaumont on the morning of Friday, May 12. Officers said there were no signs of foul play upon the preliminary investigation. The vehicle was towed back to Indio Friday morning, according to Sgt. Dan Marshall with the Indio Police Department.
Read: Search for missing couple extended into Arizona
Read: More of today’s Top Stories from KESQ & CBS Local 2 Will triple digit heat return to the Coachella Valley soon? Check out your First Alert Forecast
