Body of missing Moses Lake woman found in Walla Walla County
By Dan Thesman on Monday, May 16th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department reported Monday that the body of Yanira Cedillos, who went missing on March 4, 2022, was recovered from a remote area off Highway 12 near Wallula Junction in Walla Walla County. Detectives found her body last Thursday in a sleeping bag covered with tree limbs and leaves.
On the morning Cedillos disappeared, Juan Gastelum’s cell was tracked for several minutes as witnesses told police she was last seen with him. The 28 year old from Hermiston is accused of second-degree murder in Cedillos’ disappearance. Evidence at Cedillos’ apartment led investigators to also charge Gastelum with second-degree rape.
Last Thursday, detectives were led to Walla Walla County after receiving information on some updated cell phone data from Gastelum’s cell phone. The cell phone information was provided by a private business that assists with cell phone investigations.
The Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, and the Walla Walla County Coroner were called to assist in processing the crime scene.
At the time the body was found, detectives were unable to conclusively identify it. The body was transported to the Spokane County Medical Examiner and an autopsy was performed today, which resulted in the body being positively identified as Yanira Cedillos. Detectives will now focus on working with the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office to convict Gastelum.
Hermiston police cooperated with Moses Lake detectives in arresting Gastelum. He was picked up for driving with a suspended license on March 9. His bail is set at $1,010,000 according to the Umatilla County Jail roster. The $10,000 is for the driving while suspended charge out of Oregon.
Since Gastelum refused to waive extradition, the governor of Washington must make a request to the governor of Oregon to have him transported to the Grant County Jail. He is due to appear again in the Sixth Circuit Court on June 2.
