An Arizona missing persons cold case turned into an investigative triumph when Christina Marie Plante<\/span> was found alive after she vanished more than three decades ago, the Gila County Sheriff\u2019s Office announced<\/a>\u00a0Wednesday.<\/p>\n On May 15, 1994, the then-<\/span>13-year-old left her home on foot in the small town of Star Valley, Arizona, to visit her horse at a nearby stable, authorities said. At some point after leaving her house, Plante vanished \u201cwithout a trace\u201d and was reported missing.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time of her disappearance, extensive search efforts were conducted involving local law enforcement, volunteers, and regional resources,\u201d authorities wrote in the statement. \u201cDespite exhaustive ground searches, interviews, and investigative follow-up, no viable leads were developed.\u201d<\/p>\n Her name was entered into national missing children databases and missing persons flyers were distributed throughout the country, but the case remained cold until this week.<\/p>\n Since Plante went missing, the case has remained active and ongoing, with investigators \u201cperiodically re-examining evidence and pursuing new information as it became available.\u201d<\/p>\n Credit: Gila County Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It wasn\u2019t until the sheriff\u2019s office developed the Cold Case Unit with a \u201crenewed commitment to unresolved investigations\u201d that they reached a \u201cbreakthrough.\u201d<\/p>\n Authorities credit advanced technology, modern investigative techniques, and a detailed case review for solving the crime.<\/p>\n There is no further information, and the sheriff\u2019s office doesn\u2019t plan on releasing more \u201cout of respect for Christina\u2019s privacy and well-being,\u201d but investigators have confirmed her identity, and the cold case is officially resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Gila County Sheriff\u2019s Office remains committed to pursuing all unresolved cases and encourages anyone with information regarding other cold cases to come forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"May](\"https:\/\/scontent-lga3-3.xx.fbcdn.net\/v\/t39.30808-6\/659027770_1479348987562497_6086883609209914846_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=jcaUoGpj-isQ7kNvwG-zG7g&_nc_oc=AdpbJLazfVSn4II6MVN4bqkOY3WIhd3nSI7YDYbaO_DwF129HyN2uSI_2HQEqlm8an4&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-3.xx&_nc_gid=JGBz8FdCuEUSJ1362NiKyQ&_nc_ss=7a3a8&oh=00_Af2ReAsEkuDnEy3Bxm7094k0WBSHxxf_BGQJSKV-lHADQg&oe=69D462D6\")
<\/p>\n