What happened to Pearl Pinson in Vallejo? Detectives still looking for answers

(KRON) — The Solano County Sheriff’s Office said it is still searching for Pearl Pinson, who was 15 years old when she vanished in Vallejo exactly nine years ago.

On the morning of May 25, 2016, Pearl Pinson was walking to her school bus stop when she was kidnapped by force, investigators said. A witness saw a stranger grab the high school student, and Pinson was never seen or heard from again.

Pinson was walking on a pedestrian highway crossing along Lewis Avenue when she was kidnapped, investigators said.

Her suspected kidnapper, 19-year-old Fernando Castro, was recorded driving his tan sedan around Bodega Bay after the abduction.

Castro was later driving southbound on Highway 101 near Santa Barbara when local police officers tried to stop him. “He fled and eventually exited the car shooting at law enforcement. He was killed when officers returned fire. Sadly, he may have taken the secret of what happened to Pearl with him to his grave,” SCSO wrote.

Pinson’s blood was found in Castro’s car, according to detective Sean Mattson.

On Sunday, her loved ones hung a banner on the highway overpass to raise awareness that Pinson is still missing. Not knowing what happened to Pinson is excruciating, the girl’s sister, Rose, previously told KRON4.

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office said the Pinson missing person case remains an open investigation. Anyone with information that could lead to finding Pinson is urged to call SCSO’s tip line at 707-784-1963. Tips can remain anonymous.

Pinson has blonde hair, green and blue eyes, and has a piercing on her lower lip. At the time she was kidnapped, the girl weighed 130 pounds and she was 5’3″ tall. Today she would be 24 years old.