Las Vegas authorities are investigating the disappearance of 63-year-old Alisa Goods, a New York resident who has been missing for over a week. Her family reported that since her disappearance, they have received messages from her phone requesting money and cryptocurrency.
Goods had traveled from New York to Las Vegas to visit a friend. According to the friend's account to the family, Goods left his apartment on Aug. 8 to take a bus to a nearby CVS pharmacy and did not return. The family filed a missing person report on Aug. 10.
Two days after the report was filed, family members stated they began receiving text messages from Goods' phone. These messages requested assistance, gas money, and bitcoin. Alana Calloway, Goods' niece, told CBS News that the request for gas money was unusual because her aunt does not drive and does not have a car. The family has searched local jails, hospitals, and the coroner's office, but they reported no leads as of mid-August.
The incident highlights risks associated with financial solicitation through a missing person's communication device. The family would notice the arrival of these messages on their personal mobile devices, specifically requests for digital currency like bitcoin and cash for gas. Such messages can complicate the investigation by raising questions about whether the device is being operated by the owner or an unauthorized third party. A niece of the missing woman, Alana Calloway, noted that the specific nature of the requests did not align with her aunt's known habits.
The outcome of this case may set a precedent for how law enforcement handles missing person investigations involving suspected digital extortion or unauthorized phone use. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has categorized the investigation as an active missing person case. The family is continuing their search in Las Vegas, and police have requested that anyone with information contact investigators. No specific court dates or deadlines have been established as the investigation remains ongoing.