The investigation into the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl Kiely Rodni has uncovered other sexual predators in the neighborhood, which has led to the detention of one individual and the filing of charges against another.
As the search for Kiely Rodni entered its second week, authorities with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office conducted a comprehensive operation targeting sexual offenders on Thursday.
It is not thought that the suspect who was apprehended in this operation is connected to Rodni’s disappearance in any way.
Officials disclosed on Friday that PCSO and Truckee Police conducted a collaborative sex offender compliance search throughout Truckee and North Tahoe.
Two weeks after the unexplained disappearance and probable kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl named Kiely Rodni in the state of California, the inquiry reportedly led to the arrest of a local sexual offender on charges that were unconnected to the case.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said Friday morning that during the operation on August 18, “several sex registrants were found to be in violation of their terms.” One person was arrested, and criminal charges will be filed against another. “The Truckee Police Department does these kinds of sweeps on a regular basis and is committed to going after criminals who break their probation or parole terms in a strong way.”
Rodni’s disappearance, which has not been explained, was the impetus for the compliance checks; but, according to the investigators, the arrests had nothing to do with Rodni’s case. A request for more information regarding the individual who had been arrested was not immediately met with a response from the Truckee police.
Wednesday, deputies in the neighboring town of Incline, Nevada, made a similar check on a sexual offender. However, they reported that there was no relation between this incident and Rodni’s disappearance. Back in California, a task force comprised of investigators from multiple agencies is looking into the disappearance of the girl and is requesting additional witnesses.
Rodni was last seen at an outdoor gathering in the Tahoe National Forest that began on the evening of August 5 and continued into the early morning hours of August 6.
One partygoer, 18-year-old Sami Smith, told FOX3 Digital that the early high school graduate, who was 16, was drinking and “partying” with pals and was probably too drunk to operate a motor vehicle.
The Place County Sheriff’s Office reported that 200 to 300 persons, largely children and young adults, attended.
According to Angela Musallam, who serves as the sheriff’s public information officer, investigators have interrogated somewhere in the range of one-third to half of those individuals.
“Despite the fact that our detectives have spoken with over 100 people who attended the party, they are still hoping for some additional cooperation.
It has not been possible for investigators to speak with anyone who really saw Rodni leave, and the sheriff’s office is requesting that anyone who has not yet spoken with detectives do so now. The authorities are also requesting that members of the public continue to report any information they have, including videos and photographs taken at the party.
Around midnight, Rodni contacted her mother to let her know she was leaving for home. The last time her phone was in range of the party location, a clearing in the woods between the Prosser Family Campground and the Prosser Creek Reservoir south of Truckee, California, was at 12:33 a.m. on August 6.
No trace of Rodni could be found after more than a week of targeted searches in the neighborhood and surroundings. Police said her 2013 Honda CRV, which is silver with a ram head sticker under the back windshield wiper, is also missing.
Musallam claimed that “the majority” of the out-of-town guests who attended the party have been recognized.
A task force-based inquiry will replace the extensive search effort, which included days of overhead surveillance and diving teams, according to investigators on Monday.
During a news briefing, Capt. Sam Brown of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office stated, “We are still seeking for any clues, videos, tips, or any anything that would help us fit the pieces together and determine where we’re going and how we’ll continue our search.”
Rodni is said to have a height of 5 feet and 7 inches and weigh close to 118 pounds. She has blonde hair and eyes that are a shade of hazel. The number “17” is permanently inked onto her ribcage in the form of a tattoo. According to her acquaintances, she has a nose ring in addition to a number of other piercings and was sporting three gold necklaces on the night that she vanished.
According to the authorities, she was donning a pair of green Dickies pants, a black belt with studs, and a bodysuit with spaghetti straps that was also black. And earlier on August 5, she was captured on tape wearing a pink and white hoodie with the words “ODD FUTURE” written on it. Additionally, it is possible that she was wearing a hoodie with words from Lana Del Rey that was dark gray in color.
Please contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Office at 530-581-6320 if you have any information. Callers are able to remain anonymous.
There is a reward of $75,000 for information that helps find her.
