Overview

Last confirmed activity: Early morning of October 15, 2012, at a grocery store in Sitka, Alaska. Her last known contact with family was October 14.

Presumed death: A jury concluded in 2015 that Lael died in Sitka on or about October 20, 2012, but the circumstances of her death were undetermined.

Main circumstances: Lael vanished after being captured on grocery-store surveillance; her vehicle was found five days later near Nelson Logging Road with important personal belongings inside. Extensive searches found no trace of her. Police have investigated the disappearance as a potential homicide, conducted a renewed cadaver-dog search in 2021, and have continued seeking information from the public.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Lael Marie Grant: The Unsolved 2012 Disappearance and Suspected Homicide in Sitka, Alaska

Lael Marie Grant was a 33-year-old mother of two from Sitka, Alaska, when she disappeared in October 2012. More than a decade later, her remains have never been recovered, and investigators have continued to treat the circumstances surrounding her disappearance as a potential homicide.

Public records differ slightly on Lael’s last-seen date. Her family last had contact with her on October 14, 2012. Investigative testimony later established that surveillance footage showed her purchasing snacks and soft drinks at a Sitka grocery store at approximately 2:00 a.m. on October 15. NamUs lists her last contact as October 15, 2012.

At the time, Lael was dealing with significant personal difficulties. Her father had recently died, and his funeral had taken place shortly before she vanished. She had also recently ended a relationship. Investigators later testified publicly about her struggles with methamphetamine use and Sitka’s drug culture. These circumstances became part of the investigation, but they have never established exactly what happened to her.

Lael Grant’s Car Is Found on Nelson Logging Road

On October 20, 2012, five days after Lael’s final confirmed public sighting, her vehicle was found approximately eight miles outside Sitka at the end of Nelson Logging Road, near the Tony Hrebar Shooting Range. Investigators determined the vehicle apparently had been at the location since October 18.

Inside were several of Lael’s belongings, including her identification, grocery-store receipt, favorite headphones and other personal property. The receipt corresponded with the store where she had been seen shortly before disappearing.

The vehicle’s location immediately raised questions. Lael was known to hike alone, but investigators testified that Nelson Logging Road was not an area where she normally went hiking. Police could not explain why her vehicle had ended up there.

The location was especially significant because Sitka is an island community. Travel out of Sitka generally requires a plane or ferry, and investigators noted that Lael’s identification was left behind. Authorities and the jury that later considered her presumptive-death case concluded that she had not left Sitka.

Extensive Searches Fail to Find Lael

Sitka police, Sitka Mountain Rescue, search dogs, volunteers and other personnel began searching around Nelson Logging Road and surrounding terrain. Thousands of search hours were ultimately devoted to finding Lael.

Search officials initially operated under the assumption that they were looking for a living missing person. As the search continued without a trace of Lael, however, its focus changed.

Evidence presented during a later court proceeding also established that investigators believed there was a criminal component to the case. Despite the extensive searches, no confirmed human remains belonging to Lael were found.

Police Investigate Lael Grant’s Disappearance as a Possible Homicide

By 2015, the case was openly being described by investigators as a potential homicide.

During a June 25, 2015 court inquest, Sitka Police detective Ryan Silva testified that the case remained open as a potential homicide. He said investigators were continuing to pursue leads, including information connected with surveillance footage from the grocery store where Lael was last seen. His investigative focus at that time included locating Lael’s remains.

No publicly identified suspect has been charged with killing Lael.

Her sister, Erika Burkhouse, told reporters that rumors surrounding Lael’s disappearance and numerous leads generated after a substantial reward was offered complicated the investigation. The family nevertheless continued seeking answers about what happened to her.

Lael Grant Declared Presumed Dead in 2015

After nearly three years without contact or evidence that Lael was alive, her family petitioned the court for a presumptive declaration of death.

Following testimony in June 2015, a six-person jury concluded that Lael had died in Sitka on or about October 20, 2012. The circumstances of her death remained undetermined. The ruling allowed her family to obtain a death certificate while the criminal investigation continued.

The declaration of death did not mean that investigators had determined precisely when, where or how Lael died. It also did not close the investigation.

Cold Case Reexamined With Cadaver Dogs in 2021

Nearly nine years after Lael disappeared, the Sitka Police Department undertook a major renewed examination of the case.

On April 17 and 18, 2021, Nelson Logging Road and the shooting-range area were closed while 29 searchers and seven cadaver dogs conducted a grid search around the area where Lael’s vehicle had been located.

The search teams included personnel and canine resources from Alaska, Idaho and Washington. Investigators explained that they were essentially rebuilding the investigation from the ground up, using fresh investigators and techniques that had not necessarily been available when Lael disappeared in 2012.

Searchers located numerous bones during the operation, but none were human. Police stressed at the time that the search had not been prompted by a new piece of evidence or a breakthrough. Instead, investigators wanted to make certain earlier search areas were thoroughly reconsidered with new resources.

Investigators also discussed the potential value of newer forensic technologies. Sitka police had recently seen another longstanding local homicide solved through genetic genealogy, although police did not announce that comparable evidence existed in Lael’s case.

Latest Publicly Available Information

The most recent official public activity located during a review of available sources is from the Sitka Police Department on October 14, 2025, marking the 13th anniversary of Lael’s disappearance. The department again sought information from the public and stated that tips could remain confidential.

A separate Sitka Police Department public notice states that the department is still actively investigating Lael’s disappearance.

The newest publicly indexed case-record update located is dated August 8, 2026 on Crime Solvers Central. That database continues to describe the investigation as open and lists the Sitka Police Department as the primary investigating agency. Because Crime Solvers Central is not a government agency, its status information should be regarded as a secondary source rather than an official police announcement.

NamUs continues to maintain Lael Marie Grant as missing-person case MP22592. NamUs also identifies Sitka Police Department case 12-1633 and Alaska State Troopers case AK12244208 in connection with her case.

Lael’s remains have not been publicly reported as recovered, and no prosecution has been announced in connection with her disappearance or presumed death.

Anyone with information that could help investigators determine what happened to Lael Marie Grant should contact the Sitka Police Department.