Gallup police seek help locating missing 18-year-old Alexis Roberts

Gallup Police asked the public this week for help finding Alexis Roberts, an 18-year-old who was reported missing Jan. 15. Investigators released basic identifying information and asked anyone with information to contact the Gallup Police Department, and to check home security cameras and social media for relevant images or leads.

The announcement elevated concern across McKinley County, where missing-person cases ripple beyond the immediate family to affect neighborhood safety, school communities, and local service providers. Teens who disappear face heightened risks including mental health crises, substance-related harms, and exploitation. Swift public response can be critical to locating someone safely, public health experts say, because delays can allow emergent medical or safety needs to go unaddressed.

Local law enforcement framed this as a community effort, urging residents to review footage from doorbell cameras, dashboard cameras, nearby business surveillance, and to scan social platforms for posts or sightings that might provide a timestamped trace. Police analysts often weave together such community-sourced leads with investigative work to narrow search areas quickly. At the same time, gaps in reporting and resource access can complicate those efforts—especially in rural and Tribal communities that make up much of McKinley County.

McKinley County serves a large Native American population and has long-standing disparities in access to behavioral health, trauma care, and victim support services. Those structural inequities mean that missing youth and their families can confront barriers when trying to obtain consistent outreach or sustained follow-up from systems meant to protect them. Community advocates note that widespread vigilance and offer of practical support—transportation, translation, or temporary safe housing—often fills immediate needs while longer-term policy solutions are pursued.

For neighbors and community groups, practical steps can make a difference: check home and business cameras for Jan. 15 onward timestamps, share lawful public posts about the missing person on social media to widen visibility, and report any potential leads to the Gallup Police Department so investigators can corroborate them. Schools, local clinics, and youth programs should also be alert for students or clients who may suddenly be absent or in distress and connect families to available supports.

This search underscores how individual crises intersect with broader public-health and justice challenges in McKinley County. A coordinated community response—paired with sustained investment in mental health services, culturally competent outreach, and equitable policing resources—can improve outcomes for missing youth and their families. For now, residents with information are asked to contact Gallup Police with any tips as investigators continue their work.