Gustine CA (February 8, 2026) — Authorities have recovered what they believe to be the body of Lupita Lizbeth Zúñiga Ontiveros, the 21-year-old Stockton woman who went missing after an off-road vehicle crash into the Delta-Mendota Canal near Gustine in late January.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the body was recovered Sunday from the canal near Whitworth Road and Cottonwood Road, approximately seven miles downstream from where Zúñiga Ontiveros was last seen on Jan. 28.
Zúñiga Ontiveros disappeared after an off-road vehicle entered the canal near Gravel Pit Road shortly after midnight. According to the California Highway Patrol, three occupants escaped the water, while Zúñiga Ontiveros did not resurface. The driver later fled the scene and was arrested.
Search efforts were hampered by the canal’s fast-moving current, depth, and low visibility. While law enforcement conducted ground, aerial, and dive searches, family members and volunteers also organized extensive community searches along the canal and surrounding areas.
Authorities have said there is no evidence of foul play and have described the incident as a tragic vehicle crash. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
