Additional details are coming to light about the last reported contact before the disappearance of Chelsea Grimm, 32, while on a cross-country journey from San Diego to Connecticut.
Grimm’s last known whereabouts trace back to a series of events between Sept. 27 and Sept. 30 in Ash Fork, Arizona, according to Fox News. Her white Ford Escape was discovered abandoned Oct. 5 by hunters in the Kaibab National Forest; her official disappearance was reported Oct. 3, per the outlet.
The events leading up to Grimm’s disappearance began when she canceled dinner plans with a friend Sept. 28, raising initial concerns about her whereabouts, according to Fox News. Two days later, a woodcutter reportedly found her camping in a remote area in Ash Fork, and she reassured him she was okay, according to the outlet. Sept. 30 would mark the last sighting of Grimm before her disappearance, per the outlet. (RELATED: Woman Missing For Two Weeks, Last Seen Before Dating App Meet Up)
A crucial encounter occurred Sept. 28, when a police officer in Williams, Arizona responded to a call about suspicious activity near a cemetery, according to Fox News. The encounter occurred approximately 18 miles from where her car was later spotted in Ash Fork, per the outlet. Body camera footage captured the interaction, per AZ Family, who obtained the video.
In the video, the officer asked about Grimm’s well-being, to which she responds she’s okay before asking him about his well-being. Grimm, however, appears visibly upset during the conversation, reportedly stating she was working on a photography project. She mentioned she didn’t have a hotel and intended to camp for the night. The officer suggested a nearby gas station area for her to sleep without disturbances, to which Grimm seemed to agree, per the outlet.
Following the exchange, a woodcutter’s brief Sept. 30 encounter with Grimm in Ash Fork added another layer to her suspicious disappearance. She reportedly informed the worker she was okay before vanishing, according to Fox News.
Grimm’s locked car — with all her belongings inside — was reportedly found abandoned the following day, adding raising questions about the case, per the outlet.