Name: Sandra “Sandy” Johnsen Hughes
Age: 54 years old
Last seen: June 26, 2020
Location: Madera County, California
Status: Still Missing
Case Information
54 year old Sandra Hughes has been missing since June 26, 2020 in Madera County, California. She disappeared while going on a camping trip in the Sierra National Forest.
Background
Sandra Johnsen Hughes was born on July 26, 1966. During college, she trained to be a park ranger and was experienced in outdoor survival.
At the time of her disappearance, she had been living and working in Maui, Hawaii, for the past few months. She was married twice and had no children.
Disappearance
June 26, 2020 is the last time Hughes had contact with her family. She had traveled from Maui, Hawaii, to Madera County, California for a solo camping trip near Johnson Meadows in the Sierra National Forest.
On July 2, 2020, Hughes’ camping gear, sleeping bag, and other supplies were found strewn along by hikers near Johnson Meadow.
On July 4, 2020, Hughes was reportedly spotted on foot by hikers in the area. While the woman was described as being barefoot and with a bruise on her face, she declined medical assistance when the witnesses offered help.
On July 5, 2020, Hughes abandoned campsite was found in the Johnson Meadows area, between Beasore and Minarets Roads. Authorities contacted her family after finding identifying documents and personal information among her belongings.
Investigation
On July 5, 2020, Hughes’ car, a silver Saab 9-5, was found off a dirt road near the Chiquito Pass trailhead, about five miles north from her campsite. The car apparently crashed into a tree before it rolled down into a ravine and got stuck.
The personal belongings in her car and campsite were found scattered in a manner described as “disheveled and emptied carelessly”.
On August 9, 2020, Hughes was reportedly spotted by two hunters, leaning against a tree along Forest Road 5S01. The location was about five miles from her abandoned campsite, near Portuguese Overlook on Beasore Road.
The two hunters only realized the woman resembled Sandra Hughes upon seeing her picture on a missing persons flyer after returning from the forest. While she looked noticeably thinner, the woman did not approach them or appear distressed.
Whereabouts
Police found no evidence, means, or motive for foul play in Sandra Hughes’s disappearance. There’s currently no promising leads in her case.
The circumstances of Sandra Hughes’s disappearance remain unclear, and her case is currently classified as missing. Her case remains unsolved.
Appearance
Physical Description:
Caucasian female born on July 26, 1966. Sandra has brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of her disappearance, her hair may have been dyed blue. She is 5’3 tall and weighs 150 pounds.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Sandra Johnsen Hughes please contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office (559) 675-7770.
News & Media Links
Woman missing in Sierra National Forest – FOX26 News KMPH 07/20
Woman missing in Sierra National Forest: Authorities find ‘disheveled’ campsite, apparent car crash – SFGate 07/20
Still No Sign of Missing Camper, Search Enters Second Week – Sierra News Online 07/20
‘She would never leave her campsite a mess’: Family of woman missing in Sierra National Forest speaks out – ABC30 07/20
Sighting reported of Sandra Hughes, missing in the Sierra – The Mercury News 08/20
I made the following report to my local poliece station (with some additional information regarding the case so that they would be able to find it that is not shown here):
I was watching YouTube with dinner after getting home from work, and one of the videos was about strange open cases. It was on the missing persons case of Sandra Hughes.
I saw someone that looked startlingly like her on my way home from work today (at the intersection of 228th St SE & Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98021) at about 6:13 PM on 06-20-2022. I was sitting at a red light and she came around the corner, unfortunately I only saw her for a few seconds. I noticed her because of her blue hair, then I saw her face. She was the driver and and had at least one passenger, I believe the car was some sort of grey 4 door (unfortunately I have no more information on the car or what she was wearing, I wasn’t paying attention to it). She looked almost exactly like the person in the missing person’s photo… Seeing it sent chills down my spine.
If you are able to see surveillance footage of the intersection (to possibly get her license plate): I was traveling North North-East on Bothell Everett highway, and she was traveling South South-West. I believe she turned right off of 228th St SE, but I could be mistaken.
I know the chances are it is just someone who looks like her, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to report it just in case. Sorry I don’t have more information, good luck in your search.