Families, volunteers and police searched across two states before a submerged Jeep containing two women was found Tuesday.
NILES, Mich. — A search that brought families, volunteers and several police agencies together across northern Indiana and southwest Michigan ended Tuesday at the St. Joseph River, where authorities found two women inside a submerged Jeep.
The women had not been formally identified as of early Wednesday, but Niles police said their clothing matched descriptions of missing South Bend mothers Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23. The discovery shifted a dayslong missing-person search into an investigation focused on how the vehicle entered the river and what happened to the women inside.
Bautista and Navarro were reported missing Sunday after spending Saturday night out with friends. Relatives said they were last seen after dropping off a friend in South Bend and had planned to get something to eat. When they did not return, family members began seeking help and searching for information about where the women had gone.
The case quickly spread across jurisdictional lines. South Bend, Elkhart and Niles police were all involved as investigators traced the women’s movements between Indiana and Michigan. Family members said during the search that they were frustrated by uncertainty over which department was directing the case, even as agencies said they were working together.
Community members also joined the effort. Relatives and volunteers searched areas around Niles, while supporters gathered for prayer vigils as the families waited for news. On Tuesday, search efforts included local police agencies, drones and K-9 teams as authorities concentrated on the Niles area.
The search moved to the St. Joseph River, where a police dive team located a vehicle underwater. Niles Police Chief James Millin said crews worked to bring the Jeep to shore for further examination. Police later confirmed two women were inside.
Authorities said the Jeep matched the vehicle associated with Bautista and Navarro. Police compared the clothing on the women with descriptions provided during the missing-person investigation and informed the families that the clothing appeared to match. Formal identification remained pending.
The discovery was felt beyond the families. Residents who live near the river described the news as devastating and said their thoughts were with the women’s relatives and children. The reaction reflected how closely many people had followed the search as relatives and volunteers sought information over several days.
Niles police said the department would handle the investigation going forward. Investigators believe the vehicle went over an embankment and entered the river, but officials have not announced what caused the Jeep to leave the roadway or whether any other factors were involved.
Autopsy and toxicology examinations are expected to help investigators establish the women’s identities and determine their causes of death. Police have said the investigation will continue even after the vehicle and its occupants were recovered, with the central question now shifting from where the women were to how the incident occurred.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.