Cadaver dogs search for missing woman who may have died in Modesto warehouse fire
After a search with cadaver dogs this week, Modesto police were still unable to locate a transient woman who has been missing since a massive warehouse blaze earlier this month.
Friends of 49-year-old Karena Marie Hickman believe she died in the fire and that her remains were still inside the rubble of the long-vacant Tully Road building behind the Modesto Junior College East Campus.
The Modesto Police Department issued a statement Saturday morning about its efforts to locate the missing homeless woman. According to police, investigators received reports that Hickman was seen in the area of Briggsmore Avenue and Prescott Road a few hours after the fire. But detectives have not been able to confirm the sightings and Hickman has not been following her normal routine since the fire.
Her longtime partner, Daniel Pettinger, thinks Hickman died in the fire and fears that what’s left of her remains are being desecrated by scavengers looking for metal and other items in the remains of the 100,000-square-foot warehouse.
Earlier this week Modesto Fire Chief Alan Ernst said it was still too dangerous to search the shell of the warehouse, and firefighters haven’t been able to gain access since the five-alarm blaze broke out.
According to Modesto police, the decision was made to bring in cadaver dogs because of concerns Hickman died in the fire. On Thursday morning, authorities and cadaver dogs searched the area of the warehouse where she was known to camp. After the lengthy search and removal of large amounts of debris from her known camping area, investigators were unable to locate Hickman or any evidence indicating she may be there.
Authorities will continue investigating Hickman’s disappearance and ask anyone who may know her whereabouts or who may have seen her since July 7, to contact Det. Derrick Letsinger at 209-572-9500.
This story was originally published July 27, 2019 at 1:45 PM.
