Missing Arizona teenager found safe and sound in Iowa; suspect arrested

DES MOINES, IOWA (AZFamily) — An Arizona teenager who went missing after meeting up in Iowa with a person she met online is now safe and an arrest has been made, investigators said.

Gila River Police said 17-year-old Liliana Munguía was found in Ankney, Iowa, around 3:15 p.m. Friday.

She was not injured.

The FBI took 20-year-old Malachi Reed into custody.

It all started when family members became concerned about Munguía and reported her missing on August 6 from the Gila River Indian Reservation south of the valley.

She purchased a plane ticket and flew from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to Des Moines, Iowa, after meeting and talking to Reed online, investigators said.

Law enforcement in Arizona coordinated their search for Munguía with police authorities and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Iowa.

Police did not disclose how they found her, but Ankeny is a suburb of Des Moines.

“The rapid response and coordinated efforts of all agencies involved reinforce our shared commitment to combat the nationwide epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people. I am grateful to my staff and our partner agencies for their efforts in locating and safely returning Liliana home,” Gila River Police Chief Jesse Crabtree said in a written statement.

It is unclear what charges Reed is facing.

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