Jessica Ronhock's Body Found: Missing Elmira College Student Found Dead After Apparent Crash In Arizona

An undated photo of Jessie Ronhock.

Friends and family of Jessica Ronhock have had one question on their minds since the 21-year-old college student vanished from Upstate New York in early January: Where is she?

Tragically, it appears they now have an answer. According to authorities, Ronhock's body was found Saturday in an SUV that tumbled off a cliff in Arizona.

The white Jeep Cherokee crashed through a guard rail near a scenic overlook and plummeted 200 yards below. An update from authorities indicated that the apparent accident happened several months ago, as Ronhock's body had already been decomposing for several months when a group of elk hunters stumbled across it this weekend.

Ronhock was last seen at school in Upstate New York, where she was a nursing student at Elmira College. She left a note for her roommate saying she was returning home for a "family emergency." There was no emergency, and Jessica never returned home.

In the days following Jessica's disappearance, credit card records showed her apparently traveling through Florida, Texas and Arizona.

On January 15, security footage showed her alone, withdrawing cash from an ATM in Baytown, Texas.

On January 22, Ronhock's family received Jessica's private journal, which was mailed from Williams, Arizona. According to police, the entries in the journal were "of a disheartening nature." That was the last trace of contact Ronhock's family received from her.

"She had some things going on, but to say that she was suicidal -- most suicidal people won't go to the effort to travel across the country," Sgt. Scott Packard of the Elmira City Police Department told the Huffington Post after her disappearance. Others floated the idea that perhaps Ronhock, after going on a self-discovery trip, met with foul play.

"It's definitely a possibility in this case -- [that] she went out there to clear her head and gather herself and something's happened since then."

Ronhock was one day into her second term of junior year. Her parents posted a message of grief today on her 'Find Jessica Ronhock' Facebook page, stating:

"It is with much grief and heavy hearts that we inform you that Jessica Lynn Ronhock was involved in a fatal car crash on Rt. 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff Arizona… To our precious daughter, you are a treasure forever in our hearts. All the beauty life can give is summarized in you. Twenty one years seems so short, but we will cherish all of the wonderful memories of our time with you. We are so proud of you and will love you always. Love, Mom & Dad."

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Comments

[curtmaster]

01:45 AM on 04/04/2012

Something is Missing from this Case, hope they find out

[curtmaster]

05:31 PM on 04/03/2012

Sad STORY, HOPE THAT SHE WASN'T TRYING TO ESCAPE ISSUES DEALING WITH SOME BOYFRIEND OR GUY OR SOMETHING.

[robinree]

03:26 PM on 04/03/2012

No parent should have to outlive their child. So sad for her family.

[PhiKapMom]

12:07 PM on 04/03/2012

SR-17 is actually Interstate 17 and have been on that route from Flagstaff to Phoenix a year ago at the Fiesta Bowl (Dec 2010) when we encountered a blizzard in Flagstaff but was able to get south on I-17 before the worst of it hit. There are lookouts along the route and guard rails everywhere because it is part of the interstate highway system. Just checked the map and can find no SR-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff -- probably the name of the road they turned into an interstate. How can the authorities not have noticed that a guardrail had been gone through when you see AZ Highway Patrol on that road all over picking up speeders? It makes no sense.

[fattrucker]

11:45 AM on 04/03/2012

I'm quite familiar with the area, get's a lot of snow that time of year, I'd bet it was an accident

[TheHammerCPT]

03:01 AM on 04/03/2012

Shouldn't any have notice that the barrier was BROKEN through and to look down for a vehicle that crashed through it?? I mean highway patrol, anyone driving by see's a car sized hole in a barrier...

[jonathanzimmel]

04:23 PM on 04/03/2012

i was thinking the same thing.
but i am from a populated area with heacy traffic. maybe some of these roads are not frequented?

[TheHammerCPT]

07:34 PM on 04/03/2012

That was what I thought, that the roads aren't that well traveled so it would kinda ring a bell for them to check a giant, gaping whole in a guard rail.

[Wayne Harrison]

12:36 AM on 04/03/2012

I guess the smashed guardrail next to the cliff wasn't a clue when it was discovered?

[sweetiepie123]

12:01 AM on 04/03/2012

My prayers go out to the family. I wonder what the family emergency was that she was going home. Could it be that someone made her write the note to her roommate and then abducted her.

[mussertimber]

10:45 PM on 04/02/2012

I find this story sad-it sounds like the note she left with her roomate was so eventually someone would call home-I would if I was her friend to see if everything was alright ....which would what make her parents realize that she wasn't at school and she had left. If her car was hers I guess they could have watch for her license plate-thats sad she didn't feel she could talk to her parents-most parents are pretty accepting of things-I can't imagine what was so wrong it wasn't fixable. Depression causes odd behavior sometimes-but if she didn't meet with fowl play-and I have no idea where she is from-I don't understand the extremely long drive. Was she going back to a place that would bring back good memories-did someone pass away like a relative that she had a strong bond with? Was Arizona her destiny or was she going farther? What ever the reason-what ever made her feel that she had to do this alone-my heart goes out to her. I always feel so sad for people that feel they are just so alone in their burden they must carry. And to her parents-I just can't imagine. Life can be a little overwhelming-but even if you think it isn't fixable-it is forgivable. No-one is perfect but no-one should be that alone.

[demisfine]

10:26 AM on 04/03/2012

From what I recall of the story at the time, that IS what happened.

[fattrucker]

11:50 AM on 04/03/2012

williams is just east of flagstaff, she was found just south of flag, she was coming from the east. that means she must have got at least to williams then turned around, went back to flagstaff and headed south towards phoenix, looks like she was wandering aimlessly,

[Lindsgrace33]

05:38 PM on 04/02/2012

Wow, this is horrible. The headline I clicked on said Missing Student Found. I thought they found her alive and everything was okay. I think it should have said "body found". Even though I do not know her, I still felt so sad so see she was found dead. :( My heart goes out to her family.

[LivelyLexie]

05:19 PM on 04/02/2012

Her poor family! This is awful. I hope they get some answers.

[Skyflyer101]

05:16 PM on 04/02/2012

Our hearts go out to the parents of this young girl. 21 years seem like such a short time.

[Squiriferous]

04:54 PM on 04/02/2012

This is a pretty spooky mystery, Scoobs.

[billnan127]

04:29 PM on 04/02/2012

Sad case, may never know what actually happened.
My condolences to the family and friends of this young lady.

[jabohrtz]

04:19 PM on 04/02/2012

I would imagine she fell asleep at the wheel... traveling cross country alone... so very easy to fall asleep, all it takes is a few second doze on that stretch of the highway. So very sad, am so very sorry for your loss!!! Cannot imagine the loss of a child, and hope I never have to experience it. God Bless!!!