A missing persons case in Arizona has turned into a homicide investigation, according to Chino Valley police, who said they’ve found evidence indicating David “Nick” Batten, 45, and Elissa Landry, 28, are dead.
Batten, his stepdaughter Landry, and her boyfriend Mitchell Mincks, 24, initially were reported missing on April 21 and hadn’t been seen since April 19, as CrimeOnline previously reported. A week later, police said evidence they’d found “at and away from” Batten’s residence indicted he and/or Landry were dead and that Mincks, a “person of interest,” had been arrested on unrelated charges in Iowa.
On Saturday, police said that “Mincks has refused to cooperate with the investigation,” and investigators were still looking for Batten, Landry, and her missing 2013 Subaru Forester.
Additionally, they said animals belonging to Landry had been located in Waterloo, Iowa, and were being cared for a shelter there.
Batten is described as a white male who stands 5-foot-10 inches and weighs around 255 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes. Landry is described as a white female who 5-foot-10-inches tall and weighs 155 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
The Forester is blue and has an Arizona Women Veterans plate WV1236.
Chino Valley police and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office conducted air and ground searches on April 25 and 26 near State Route 89 and Drake Road “due to evidence collected during the investigation.” Searchers recovered Batten and Landry’s cell phones during the search, police said.
Police have not detailed the type of evidence they have recovered and said detectives are in Iowa following leads and collecting evidence there.
Anyone with information should dial 911 or call the Yavapai Silent Witness 1-800-932-3232.
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[Feature Photo: David Batten, Elissa Landry and Mitchell Mincks/Chino Valley Police Department]
