Woman pleads for answers in sister's disappearance as Mariposa County deputies search for suspect

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- More than a year after Wendy Pullins was reported missing, her sister Holly is hoping for answers.

Wendy disappeared in June 2022 and clues have slowly surfaced.

The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office is now investigating the case as a homicide.

"She's very caring, very giving," said Holly.

Holly described her sister Wendy Pullins as a built-in best friend.

As adults, the two worked and lived together, even after they moved on to separate jobs and their own homes, they still hung out together routinely seeing movies and going out to lunch.

That best friend has been missing for nearly a year and a half.

On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Holly said Wendy didn't show up to work.

"She worked with my cousin up in Wawona and my cousin texted me and said Wendy didn't show up and I said okay well maybe her car broke down or something, you know? I'll hear from her," said Holly.

The next day Wendy didn't show up again, by that Saturday, Holly knew something was wrong.

"My son had just been killed on his motorcycle," said Holly. "Somebody turned in front of him and I knew that my sister wouldn't stay away. No matter what, she would've got ahold of me."

That's when Holly filed a missing persons report with the Madera County Sheriff's Office since her sister is from Ahwahnee.

"They just figured she'll show up probably, nothing's wrong,' said Holly. "I think it took pretty much about a week for them to really know okay maybe something is wrong."

It wasn't until September of 2022 when the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office found Wendy's Jeep Cherokee down a steep embankment in a rural part of the county.

One year later, the department said forensic testing confirmed her blood was found inside the Jeep.

That's when Wendy's disappearance became a homicide investigation, even though her body has never been found.

On October 4th, authorities announced they were looking for a white Subaru in connection to the case which they tracked down two days later.

Just this week sheriff's office detectives identified Justin Bolton as a suspect saying they received credible information from multiple people that Bolton was involved in Wendy's homicide.

Holly said Wendy was friends with Justin's mom and the Boltons' house was the last place she was known to be. Now Holly is hoping for some sense of closure after 17 months of wondering what happened to the best friend and sister she misses so much.

"We just want her home," said Holly.

The sheriff's office said Bolton is considered armed and dangerous so you should not attempt to contact him. If you know where he could be you're asked to call law enforcement.

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