Authorities Still Hope to Find Missing Nevada Teen Naomi Irion Alive

Irion was last seen March 12, when authorities say she was abducted by a man in a gray hoodie

Photo: Lyon County Sheriff

More than a week after the alleged abduction of Nevada teen Naomi Irion from a Walmart parking lot, authorities say they have yet to identify the man seen in surveillance footage moments before her disappearance.

Leaders from the Lyons County Sheriff's Office asked the public at a press conference Tuesday to report what they know about the missing 18-year-old.

"I'm standing here as the sheriff of this county making a plea to the public to please come forward if there's some information out there that hasn't reached us yet," Sheriff Frank Hunewell said.

Irion has not been seen since she was in the parking lot of a Fernley, Nev., Walmart around 5 a.m. on March 12. Irion was on her way to work at the time — her routine involved catching a shuttle from the parking lot and riding it to her job site. In a surveillance video, she is coaxed into the passenger's seat of her car by a 6-foot male suspect, who then appears to take off with her and her vehicle.

Authorities said Irion's last known whereabouts were about 10 minutes away from the Walmart off State Route 427, where Irion's phone signal went dark. Her car was located a few days after the alleged abduction with evidence inside suggesting the incident was criminal and suspicious in nature, authorities say.

Police are continuing to ping Irion's phone in an attempt to track her location. They reiterated Tuesday that they believe the suspect could be driving a dark 2020 or newer Chevrolet 2500 High Country 4-door pickup truck.

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"I would encourage anybody to come forward who had access to that vehicle," said Lyons County Detective Erik Kusmerz. "If you know somebody who had access to this vehicle during this time frame, that's what we're asking."

In an emotional address, Irion's family urged members of the public not to wait to report information to law enforcement as it could mean life or death for Irion.

"Don't post about it without talking to law enforcement first, don't do anything without talking to law enforcement first," Tamara Cartwright, Irion's sister, said. "This is life or death for my sister. This is life or death for a beautiful and fun, amazing sister and daughter and friend."

In a previous TikTok video, Cartwright urged viewers to share the video in an effort to spread her message, adding that her family has also launched a GoFundMe page to pay for expenses like flights and resources needed to find Iron.

The GoFundMe has currently raised more than $33,000 of its $20,000 goal. It notes that their parents currently live in South Africa.

She shared in another clip that Irion has a smiley face tattoo on one ankle, and a septum and nostril piercing.