The FBI is continuing its search for an 18-year-old woman who disappeared from her local Walmart parking lot early March 12. The FBI says it has evidence that she was abducted.
Naomi Irion is the daughter of American diplomats and recently settled down in Nevada to spend more time with her brother. She was last seen between 5 and 5:30 a.m. in her car in the parking lot of the Fernley, Nevada, Walmart.
Naomi works at the Panasonic in the Reno-Sparks area and would take a shuttle there from that parking lot. According to her brother, Casey Valley, the shuttle arrives between 5:30 and 5:40 a.m. He went to look for his sister at the parking lot when she did not arrive home from work. He then contacted her coworkers at Panasonic, who said she was a no-show. He went inside Walmart and explained the situation, asking to look at surveillance footage, which ultimately led police to their suspect, now in custody.
Surveillance video shows the suspect walking around the parking lot outside of Walmart the morning of Naomi Irion's disappearance. He starts to lurk around Irion's 1992 Mercury Sable. He then makes his way into the driver side, presumably shoving her over into the passenger seat, then driving away.
The footage of the suspect was publicly released in hopes of finding the car and identifying the man who drove off in it. Irion's car was found three days later on March 15 at an industrial park not far from the Walmart parking lot. It has been impounded and taken into evidence. Deputies said evidence found inside the car suggests Irion's disappearance was the result of a crime. The car is being processed by the Washoe County Forensic Investigation Section.
Ten days later, on March 25, police arrested 41-year-old Troy Driver on kidnapping charges. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance at Canal Township Justice Court in Fernley on March 30 at noon. Records indicate Driver was previously convicted of accessory to a murder in relation to the killing of 19-year-old in 1997. He has also been convicted of second-degree robbery and burglary.
Police are continuing their search for Irion. Driver's arrest has yet to reveal anything about her possible location that has been shared publicly. The family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover costs related to the search. The FBI is also offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Irion's location.
Naomi Irion is 5-feet-11 with brown hair dyed black and green eyes, one of which has brown in it. She was last seen wearing a blue Panasonic company shirt, a gray cardigan sweater, gray pants, and brown boots. She was carrying a black purse. Naomi's iPhone (10 or 11) has yet to be found.
