The search for a mother of four from Torrington missing since Aug. 26 is focused on Denver, Colorado, after nearly two months with no sightings or contact.
Azia Diane Saldana, 33, aka Azia Renguul was wearing black leggings and a black and gray sweatshirt with “Word” written on it when she left her parents’ home in Torrington that afternoon.
That was the last time anyone in her family saw her, and there have been no confirmed sightings or contact with her since that day, said Azia’s mother, Lisa Saldana.
“She’s my only child,” Lisa Saldana told Cowboy State Daily. “She’s extremely loved and extremely missed. She has a huge, supportive family that are all praying for her to come home.”
Azia Saldana is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 147-155 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair, several tattoos and cheek and nose piercings.
Possibly In Denver
The Torrington Police Department has been searching for Azia Saldana since she was reported missing, and the investigation has led them to believe she’s not located in Torrington or Wyoming anymore, but in Colorado.
“Based on the information we have in the investigation, we believe Azia is or has been in the Denver area,” Torrington Police Chief Matt Johnson told Cowboy State Daily. “We are collecting all the information we can to locate her and confirm her wellbeing, and (are collaborating) with other agencies to get that accomplished.”
Johnson said Torrington police “received a number of pieces of information” connecting Saldana to the Denver metro area, and she is known to visit the region frequently. They cannot confirm if she is there now.
Saldana also is known to frequent Brighton, Colorado, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
When asked about the last time anyone had heard from Azia Saldana, Johnson said providing that information could potentially “damage the investigation.” He said they do not have any evidence that she’s the victim of a crime, but are “very concerned” about her safety.
She Always Stays In Contact
Meanwhile, the group Road Warriors for the Missing (RWM) has been coordinating its own efforts with WyoFind to assist in the search for Azia Saldana. RWM says it’s “a network of nationwide volunteers who work together to reunite missing and trafficked people with their families.”
Stacy Koester is one of RWM and WyoFind’s volunteer private investigators working on the Azia Saldana investigation. Koester said that while the woman has a history of leaving the Torrington area for extended periods, she has always maintained contact with family.
“Any time she’s ever left or gone away for a couple of weeks, she’s always maintained contact,” she said. “A Facebook message, a text, something. She’s always stayed in contact with at least her dad or Dylan Prahl,” who is Azia’s partner and the father of her four children. “Not a single person has heard from her (since Aug. 28.) We’ve been monitoring her Facebook, and there’s been zero activity.”
Saldana left her parents’ home around 4:30 p.m. Aug. 26 to go to the Western Travel Terminal, a truck stop in Torrington, to play the slotmachines there. She sent a text message to her mother that evening saying that she would be home shortly after 8.
She never made it, and that text was the last time anyone had confirmed contact from Saldana. At the time, she was using a prepaid phone that has since gone out of service.
Koester said there was one other message sent from Azia Saldana’s phone Aug. 30, but there are questions as to whether it was sent by heror someone else.
“The (Aug. 30) text said, ‘I’m fine, don’t worry.’ But there’s no proof that came from her. When they tried to call the phone after that, it was disconnected or out of service,” Koester said.
Koester added that Azia Saldana referenced a voicemail left by her father, Amado, in the Aug. 28 text, which verifies that Saldana herself sent it. There is no way to verify she sent the Aug. 30 text.
Any And All Information
The investigation into Azia Saldana’s disappearance is ongoing, and any information is valuable. Koester confirmed that there is no evidence of a crime or foul play, but that isn’t reassuring to volunteers or family.
“History, past instances, and everything clearly says that something is wrong,” she said.
Koester is so immersed in the case that she encourages anyone with information on Saldana’s disappearance or whereabouts to contact her directly.
“If they’ve seen her, spoken to her, heard rumors, word of mouth on the street,” she said. “Even if Azia left 100% on her own, which I do not believe to be the case at this point, somebody knows something. Anything that people hear, we would like to hear. Word of mouth can sometimes bring people home.”
An essential point Koester stresses is that any information, whether it's related to her or Torrington Police Detective Maestas, is entirely confidential.
“Nobody will know who reached out to us,” she said.
Koester said Road Warriors for the Missing is working on a segment on Azia Saldana and the investigation will be featured on NewsNation soon. Meanwhile, she and the RWM team are doing everything they can to assist in the search by sharing her photos and information on social media.
“No family should ever have to go to bed wondering where their person is,” she said.
Lisa Saldana is hopeful her daughter will be found safe and return to her family in Torrington, and she sends a message to her daughter wherever she might be.
“Please just reach out,” she said. “Her babies, her dad, and myself miss her so much!”
Anyone with information on Azia Diane Saldana can contact Koester with Road Warriors for the Missing at 307-299-6710 or Detective Maestas at the Torrington Police Department at 307-532-7001. All calls are confidential.
Road Warriors for the Missing is offering a reward, but only forinformation directly leading to Azia’s whereabouts.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
