Buckeye police are asking for the public’s help in finding a 46-year-old woman named Hope Tucker, who has been missing since May 22, although authorities only learned of her disappearance on Saturday.
Tucker, who is described as 6 feet tall and about 220 pounds, went missing sometime after her purple Dodge Charger broke down west of Phoenix on Interstate 10 near Verrado Way, which is within the city limits of Buckeye. Police asked the public to avoid the area on June 23, 2024 due to ongoing search activities.
Tucker’s car broke down during the early morning hours of May 22 while she was with her adult son, who has autism, high support needs and a limited ability to communicate, according to Buckeye Police Department officials, who only arrived on the were aware of Tucker’s disappearance. June 22, exactly one month after she went missing.
Buckeye Police need your help locating 46-year-old Hope Tucker, who was last seen on May 22 near I-10 and Verrado. BPD was notified yesterday afternoon and conducted searches. Please avoid the area. More info: https://t.co/m1fI6Ge6CZ pic.twitter.com/gkjKjP4bFH
— Buckeye Police Department (@BuckeyeAZPD) June 23, 2024
Tucker’s son is safe and in the care of a family member. He had been in the hospital for almost a month, according to Buckeye police. Investigators said they contacted him on May 24 when he was reportedly urinating in public and appeared to be in medical distress. Buckeye Fire Department officials took him to the hospital.
Buckeye police say Tucker’s son told his relative on June 22 what happened when care for his mother failed, and the relative contacted police, who immediately initiated a search.
Police say when Tucker’s car broke down on May 22, she and her son left the vehicle to seek shade and she may have suffered a life-threatening medical emergency shortly afterward. Just after 11 a.m. that same day, an officer found the abandoned vehicle on I-10 near mile marker 119 and it was towed, police say.
Buckeye police say they tried to ping Tucker’s phone without success. They conduct search operations and coordinate with partner agencies for additional resources.
Buckeye police say they have found no evidence that Tucker was a Buckeye resident, although “it appears she may have lived in other parts of the Valley in the past,” a spokesperson wrote in an email.
Anyone with information on Tucker’s whereabouts is urged to call 911 or submit a tip online at www.buckeyeaz.gov/crimetip.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hope Tucker went missing near I-10 and Verrado Way in Buckeye on May 22
