After six long weeks of uncertainty, hope returned—15-year-old Alisa Petrov of South Jordan, Utah, walked into a Colorado police station and identified herself, safe and alive. Her disappearance on April 21 had left her family and community devastated, with fears growing each passing day.
Alisa was last seen leaving her school in American Fork. Just days earlier, she had sent a chilling message to 41-year-old Samuel Teancum Mitchell: “I’M RUNNING AWAY. Please don’t contact me.” Investigators later uncovered messages between the two on her iPad, revealing sexual conversations, plans to meet, and disturbing discussions about condoms and sex games. Police quickly traced Mitchell’s phone number, launching a wider investigation into multiple men suspected of being involved.
Security footage later showed Alisa leaving a train platform in Provo, but from there, her trail went cold. Her family clung to hope, even offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to her safe return. Weeks passed, with no sign of where she might be—or if she was even alive.
Then, on June 1, the breakthrough came. Alisa entered the Colorado Springs Police Department—nearly 500 miles from home. Authorities confirmed her identity, reporting that she was in good health and under the care of Colorado officials. Her safe recovery was announced by South Jordan Police the following day, though many questions remain about how she traveled so far and whether she was held against her will.
Meanwhile, justice is moving forward. Mitchell has been arrested and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and enticement. Two other men, William Taylor Glines and Matthew Nicholas Menard, are also in custody. While the investigation continues, one truth stands out—Alisa is alive, and her return marks the end of one family’s nightmare and the beginning of her path to healing.