A missing person investigation was underway Monday at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, with Los Angeles Police Department personnel searching for more insight into the disappearance of 39-year-old Los Angeles mother Heidi Planck.
In a press release distributed on Monday, LAPD investigators said that following Planck’s disappearance late in October, they were led to the landfill located at 29201 Henry Mayo Drive in Castaic.
“They’re searching a landfill … it’s for evidence or a possible body,” Officer Norma Eisenman told The Signal on Monday.
After being reported missing by her ex-husband late in October after she had failed to pick her son up from school on Oct. 20, investigators learned that Planck had last been seen in her apartment complex on the 1200 block of S. Hope Street in the downtown area of Los Angeles.
“Her dog was found in that same building,” said the LAPD news release distributed on Monday. “Forensic evidence was located inside the building which has led detectives to believe an incident occurred resulting in Planck’s death.”
On Nov. 4, the 39-year-old woman’s Range Rover was discovered in the subterranean parking garage of a residential building located several blocks from 1201 S. Hope Street.
There is currently no suspect information.
“This morning, LAPD detectives, along with the assistance of the Los Angeles City Department of Public Works, the Los Angeles City Fire Department, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, are serving a search warrant at the landfill to excavate a specific area of the landfill, manually search it for human remains, and collect any related evidence,” read the press release distributed on Monday. “It is anticipated this search and recovery operation could take approximately seven to 10 days to complete.”
News helicopters were seen above the landfill on Monday and LAPD units could be seen heading into the landfill.
“There may be an impact on community members who live around the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, specifically the community of Val Verde,” officials said. “Efforts are being made to minimize and mitigate that impact. We ask for the community’s understanding and support during this search and recovery effort.”
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Planck has been asked by LAPD to contact their Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6840.
During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls can be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip, or [email protected]. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
