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Naomi Irion, an 18-year-old woman from Nevada, was reportedly abducted by a hooded man in a Walmart parking lot in Fernley. According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, she was last seen in the parking lot around 5:00 am on Saturday.
Reports suggest that at the time, Irion was waiting for her shuttle bus to take her to a nearby workplace in Panasonic. A surveillance video capturing the incident showed the hooded man taking the driver’s seat at Irion’s car before driving away from the venue.
Irion’s abandoned vehicle was later discovered in an industrial area near Fernley. Investigators also mentioned that evidence found in the car suggested the woman's disappearance was linked to a crime, but they did not release any details of their findings.
Police also revealed that a man driving a dark, new Chevrolet High Country pickup truck might possibly know about Irion’s disappearance and current whereabouts.
A look into Naomi Irion’s abduction footage
A video showing 18-year-old Naomi Irion being abducted from a Walmart parking lot in Nevada was recently released by the police. Stills from the footage showed a hooded man walking into the parking lot and approaching Irion’s car.
The unidentified man was then seen taking the driver’s seat of Irion’s 1992 Mercury Sable before driving off with the victim in the passenger’s seat. The woman’s mother Diana Irion confirmed to ABC 7 that police suspected her daughter had been kidnapped:
“Some monster takes them, and you don't know what's happened, you don't know where they are and nobody even noticed she was missing.”
Diana shared that the family called the police after Irion failed to show up to work and did not return home:
"They confirmed that she missed her shifts Saturday and Sunday, which was really unusual. My daughter was extremely reliable."
Irion’s brother Casey Valley told the publication that his sister’s disappearance looked like an abduction after he watched the surveillance footage:
“To me it looked clear, to me it looked like a clear abduction.”
He also mentioned that the suspect did or said something to Irion to move her from the driver’s seat into the passenger’s side:
“She is not a fighter, meaning the guy who pushed her into a car, she froze. She didn't do anything. She just froze.”
Valley also claimed that the suspect possibly walked into the parking lot from the direction of the homeless camps:
“We're not saying that this person was necessarily a homeless person. He came from that direction. Like, but so, but it's enough of something that just, state that it's worth noting. This person did say or do something to Naomi to make her move over from the driver's side to the passenger side.”
He further mentioned that the man possibly wanted to steer clear of witnesses before forcing himself inside Irion’s car:
“He circled around the parking lot, maybe to make sure there were no witnesses. He came up behind the car and forced his way into the driver’s side of the car. Maybe her door was unlocked. He either said or did something to make her move to the passenger seat, and then he drove her car away in an unknown direction.”
Certain stills from the surveillance video also showed Irion shopping inside the Walmart Store. As mentioned earlier, investigators also found Irion’s car abandoned in an industrial area in Fernley, Nevada. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office said:
“The forensic evidence discovered, to date, continues to lead Lyon County Investigators to believe Naomi’s disappearance is suspicious in nature.”
Police also confirmed that evidence recovered from the scene is currently being used for testing through the Washoe County Forensic Investigation Section.
Everything to know about Naomi Irion
Naomi Irion lived in Fernley, Nevada with her brother Casey Valley, while her parents Diana and Herve Irion lived in South Africa. She reportedly moved to Nevada in August 2021 and was working at a Panasonic store.
The 18-year-old has been described as 5’11 with dyed black hair and green eyes. She also has brown shades in one of her eyes. Irion’s sister Tamara Cartwright said the former was active on social media and had more than 500 followers on Instagram.
Cartwright further mentioned that her sister is very trusting of everyone around her:
“She loves people, she loves people so much, that’s why she’s so trusting. She’ll do anything to help people. I’m so afraid that someone betrayed her trust.”
She also made a minute-long video detailing Irion’s abduction with the title, 'Let’s bring Naomi Irion home safe' and asked social media users to contact the sheriff’s department or the anonymous tip line if they have any information about Irion and her disappearance.
Meanwhile, Naomi Irion’s brother Casey said that the family desperately wants Naomi back and will not stop their efforts until they find her.
