Online Tip Leading to Girl's Body in Pleasanton a Hoax, Police Say

By AUTUMN JOHNSON

Police officials in Salinas say that a disturbing tip alleging that a missing 12-year-old was brutally stabbed and dumped in Pleasanton is a hoax. Early this morning an anonymous person posted a cryptic comment on the Imgur and LiveLeak websites that said:

“I have a gift for you strangers. At Latitude 37.682040642260596 Longitude -121.96901321411133 is the body of 12 year old Julissa Romero stabbed 17 times, she has been missing for 5 months. Enjoy.”

The coordinates lead to 11029 Dublin Canyon Road in Pleasanton. On May 24 2012, the body of Ana Flores-Pineda of Stockton was found dumped in a trash can on the same road.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Julissa Romero was listed as missing in May of 2014 but police say her whereabouts are known.

Salinas Police Commander Henry Gomez said that although Romero is still listed in system as missing, she has been accounted for and is in Mexico with her mother.

“On missing persons, our protocol is not to remove anyone until we make face-to-face contact with them and since she is out of the country, we have not yet been able to do that but we do know she is safe,” Gomez said. “We appreciate the concern.”

The comment prompted commenters to report the information to FBI and Salinas Police. Several readers told Patch they had reported the comment to both Pleasanton and Dublin Police officials.

Gomez says Salinas police have fielded calls from all over, including as far away as England, about the disturbing tip.