Isabella Comas, a 21-year-old woman with distinctive pink hair, disappeared under deeply alarming circumstances on January 11, 2026, in Avondale, Arizona, triggering a statewide Turquoise Alert and an escalating investigation that has gripped the Phoenix metropolitan area. The last confirmed sighting placed Comas leaving a friend’s residence near West Van Buren Street and North 111th Avenue around 3 p.m. She was driving her red 2011 Hyundai Sonata (Arizona plate 2EA6LW), wearing a baggy navy-blue shirt, blue pants with a white stripe, and possibly sandals. Standing 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing approximately 110 pounds, with brown eyes, Comas was expected to pick up her friend for work the following day but never arrived. She also failed to report to her own job and became completely unreachable by phone.
Concern escalated rapidly. On January 12, her friend reported her missing after repeated unsuccessful attempts to make contact. By January 13, authorities recovered Comas’ Hyundai Sonata and cell phone near the intersection of 67th Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix—roughly 10 miles from her last known location. The phone was described as “randomly planted” near a recycling center, a detail that immediately raised suspicions of foul play and deliberate disposal. Surveillance footage obtained and released on January 14 showed Comas inside a QuikTrip convenience store, dressed in a white t-shirt with a black logo, marking one of the final visual records before she vanished.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety activated a Turquoise Alert on January 13, utilizing the state’s relatively new emergency notification system created specifically for missing endangered adults under 65 when standard missing-person protocols prove insufficient and circumstances suggest potential danger. Named in honor of Emily Pike, a missing Indigenous teenager whose remains were tragically discovered earlier in 2025, the Turquoise Alert broadens the scope beyond child-focused Amber Alerts, focusing on cases involving unexplained disappearances with indicators of risk. The alert remains in effect as of January 19, 2026, urging the public to report any information that could lead to Comas’ safe recovery.
The investigation intensified dramatically with the identification of Tommy Rodriguez, 39, Comas’ boyfriend, as a person of interest. Rodriguez was arrested on January 15 on charges including theft of means of transportation (tied to the vehicle), criminal damage, and probation violation. During his initial court appearance, prosecutors described “strong evidence” linking him to the stolen car and classified him as an “extreme flight risk.” Rodriguez broke his silence in court, stating, “My girlfriend came up missing,” and insisting he was “not trying to hide amid the investigation.” He remains in custody without bond.
Rodriguez’s criminal history has amplified public alarm. Court records show he was convicted at age 15 of fatally shooting a man during a robbery, serving an 18-year prison sentence before his release. Subsequent convictions include assault with a weapon and, more recently, stalking and assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2020. The 2020 stalking charge has drawn particular attention from investigators and observers, as it potentially signals a pattern of obsessive, controlling, or violent behavior that could be relevant to Comas’ disappearance.
Avondale Police Department leads the investigation in close coordination with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety. Detectives have emphasized that public tips received so far have proven “extremely helpful” in moving the case forward. No motive has been publicly confirmed, and initial court documents keep specific charges sealed, though they clearly relate to elements of the disappearance probe. Authorities continue to urge anyone with information to contact them immediately, stressing the time-sensitive nature of the search.
The circumstances surrounding Comas’ vehicle and phone abandonment raise serious questions. Why was the car left miles away from her last known location? Why was the phone deliberately placed at a recycling center rather than kept or destroyed? These actions suggest intent to obscure evidence or mislead investigators, pointing toward premeditation rather than a spontaneous event.
Comas’ case underscores the importance of Arizona’s Turquoise Alert in bridging gaps for missing adults. Unlike Amber Alerts, which require evidence of abduction involving a child, Turquoise Alerts activate when endangerment appears likely but details remain unclear—allowing rapid public mobilization without meeting stricter criteria. The system’s deployment here reflects investigators’ assessment that Comas may be in immediate peril.
The Phoenix-area community has responded with widespread concern. Social media has filled with shared flyers, photos of Comas’ pink hair and bright smile, and pleas for information. Friends describe her as outgoing, dependable, and full of life, making her sudden silence deeply out of character. The failure to follow through on simple plans—picking up her friend for work—served as the initial trigger for reporting her missing.
As the investigation enters its second week, pressure mounts on every front. Detectives continue analyzing surveillance, following leads, and reviewing Rodriguez’s movements and communications. The sealed nature of charges against him limits public knowledge, yet the flight-risk designation and history of violence keep speculation high. Whether Comas left voluntarily, met with harm, or was taken against her will remains unknown, but the combination of her abrupt disappearance, abandoned property, and Rodriguez’s background fuels fears of the worst.
The Turquoise Alert serves as both a call for help and a beacon of hope. Every shared post, every remembered detail, every sighting could prove decisive. Isabella Comas remains missing, her absence a void felt by family, friends, and an entire community. In the desert heat of Avondale and Phoenix, the search continues—driven by urgency, sustained by public awareness, and anchored in the desperate wish for her safe return.
