Theresa Ortiz, 67, vanished from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, after leaving a note the morning of July 1, 2020 telling her husband Carlos she was going for a walk on the beach. Her family found her car parked at Burkes Beach but there was no sign of Theresa. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office was notified that afternoon and deputies searched beaches and dunes. The next day a tip led to the recovery of a pair of her sandals and an empty pill bottle with her name on it near the high-tide mark, which shifted search efforts toward the surrounding waters.

Law enforcement used a helicopter and coordinated with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and marine patrol; family and volunteers also conducted searches, including a privately rented helicopter and a volunteer team from Maryland, We Are Their Voices. Theresa, a North Carolina native who lived on the island since 2002 and was active as a Jehovah’s Witness, had just celebrated her 45th wedding anniversary with Carlos. No additional evidence explaining her disappearance has been found.

If anyone was on or near Burkes Beach the morning of July 1, 2020, or has information about Theresa’s movements that day, please come forward.