NM DPS cancels Gallup Police Turquoise Alert for missing Native American

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety posted an update on Jan. 29, 2026 cancelling a Turquoise Alert that had been issued by the Gallup Police Department. Turquoise Alerts are the state's rapid-notification system for missing Native American persons who are believed to be in imminent danger; the state posting gave no name, circumstance, or reason for the cancellation.

The lack of identifying information in the Jan. 29 notice leaves open key questions for families and community members in McKinley County who rely on timely alerts and clear guidance. The NM DPS update did not say whether the person originally subject to the Gallup-issued alert was found alive, located deceased, reclassified, or the alert removed for administrative reasons. Gallup Police Department has not provided details in the text of the update supplied to this newsroom.

Turquoise Alerts are an important public-safety tool in New Mexico and in neighboring jurisdictions. Recent January cases illustrate how those alerts are used across the region, though they involve different agencies and communities. In one separate instance, Navajo Police provided an update that, “Maleeka Boone was found dead on the afternoon of Jan. 16, according to Navajo Police.” Navajo Police say 8-year-old Maleeka “Mollie” Boone was last seen, on foot, at around 6:00 p.m. on Cedar Loop in the Coalmine NHA housing area in Coalmine. In another separate case in the Phoenix area, Avondale Police released new details after a young woman went missing: “Comas went missing on Jan. 11 at around 3 p.m., when she was last seen leaving a friend's home near Van Buren Street and Avondale Boulevard.” The morning brief noted, “On Jan. 12, Comas' phone was found at a Phoenix recycling center. The next day, a Turquoise Alert was issued for her.”

Those incidents show how Turquoise Alerts are activated across jurisdictions and how outcomes can vary. For McKinley County residents, the immediate significance is practical and emotional: alerts trigger searches, tips from the public, and coordinated action by municipal, tribal, and state authorities. When a cancellation is posted without explanation, it can deepen confusion for family members and for community organizations that assist in searches and public outreach.

Officials have not provided further public detail about the Gallup-issued alert that was canceled on Jan. 29, 2026. Residents should monitor announcements from the New Mexico Department of Public Safety and Gallup Police Department for updates. Clear, prompt information remains essential to public safety and to the families who depend on these notices.