Arnold, CA…On November 30th, 2023, the body of Ann Marie Herford was located by Deputies of the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and the Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue Team. Continued search efforts throughout the week have included searches by air and ground in the dense forest of tall trees, thick manzanita, and mountainous terrain.

As part of this continuing search effort, an extremely steep and dense section of the search area located north of San Antonio Creek and south of Forest Road 5N56 was canvassed. At approximately 9:00 am on this date, Ann Marie was located deceased within this search segment. She was found on a 35-degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage. This area is north of where her vehicle was originally parked on November 12th and not within the RIM trail system.

Due to the terrain and slope angle, Ann Herford required extrication by California Highway Patrol aircraft.
Sheriff’s Detectives will continue to review all aspects of Anne Marie’s disappearance; however, the investigation currently indicates that her tragic death is not suspicious. The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude to all the teams involved in the search operation.

The agencies and resources involved in this critical search included:
• Air National Guard
• Amador County Sheriff’s SAR
• Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU)
• California Office of Emergency Services (Overhead and Air Resources)
• Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue
• Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office
• Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Unit
• California Highway Patrol
• California Office of Emergency Services SAR
• Contra Costa County Sheriff’s SAR
• Ebbetts Pass Moose Lodge 1123
• Forensic resources coordinated by the California Office of Emergency Services
• Hazel Fischer Elementary School
• Marin County Sheriff’s SAR (Including Unmanned Aerial Systems – UAS)
• Merced County Sheriff’s SAR
• Nevada County Sheriff’s SAR
• Placer County Sheriff’s SAR
• San Mateo County Sheriff’s SAR
• Santa Clara County Sheriff’s SAR
• Tuolumne County Sheriff’s SAR
• United States Army Aircraft
• Yolo County Sheriff’s SAR
• Calaveras County District Attorney Investigators

Rick DiBasilio, Sheriff