KTLA

Skeletal remains found in Ballona Wetlands identified as 32-year-old woman who vanished in 2020: LAPD

Police on Friday confirmed that skeletal remains found last week at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and Ballona Creek belong to a missing 32-year-old woman who disappeared in 2020.

Kolby Story was on her way to Venice Beach when she went missing in December last year, her brother said in a Facebook post. The Los Angeles Police Department said she was last seen in the 12300 block of Pacific Avenue in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles.


Kolby Story is seen in an undated photo released by LAPD.

On July 16, after months of searching for the woman to no avail, police were prompted to look in the Ballona Wetlands when a good Samaritan found some of Story’s personal belongings and turned them in to police, according to LAPD Officer Jader Chaves.

Last Friday, her family members and friends joined in the search of 600 acres of wetlands.

The search turned up skeletal remains, though police were still not sure if they belonged to Story.

On Tuesday, months after her disappearance, the L.A. County coroner’s office confirmed the remains belong to the missing woman. It remained unclear what happened to Story.

The investigation is still underway and no further details were immediately available.

Anyone with information about the missing woman is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6890.