MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Alyssa Romine-Olson Part 2
Alyssa Romine-Olson
Courtesy: Romine Family
Alyssa Romine-Olson
Courtesy: Romine Family
Alyssa Romine-Olson
Courtesy: Romine Family
Braden Olson
Source: Facebook
Alyssa Romine-Olson and Braden Olson
Source: Facebook
Braden and Alyssa at their wedding
Source: Facebook
Alyssa and her family
Courtesy: Romine Family
An aerial photo of the Riparian Preserve
Source: Gilbert Parks and Recreation
An aerial photo of the Riparian Preserve
Source: Gilbert Parks and Recreation
Timeline:
Morning
Alyssa leaves for the Riparian Preserve, where she regularly spends her mornings journaling and reading the Bible.
10:00 a.m.
Alyssa’s cellphone is turned off.
7:00 p.m.
Alyssa has not returned home, and her parents begin to worry.
10:00 p.m.
Alyssa’s parents drive to the public library but Alyssa is nowhere to be found. Her family searches the Riparian Preserve and contacts police.
2:42 p.m.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office air unit spots Alyssa’s body floating face-down in a pond at the Riparian Preserve. Her clothing, journal, cellphone and keys are not found.
Luis Bueno approaches police in a CVS parking lot across from the Riparian Preserve and reports hearing a gunshot in the area on June 9th.
Chelsea and Tammy encounter a strange man while leaving flowers for Alyssa at the Riparian Preserve.
Items recovered by Mesa police from Luis’ backpack are destroyed in accordance with department policy.
Luis is scheduled to take a polygraph examination but reschedules it.
An investigator waits for Luis at the library, but Luis never arrives for the scheduled polygraph.
Riparian Preserve
Southeast Regional Library
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
CVS
Additional Info:
Contact Us With Tips
If you know anything about the 2016 death of Alyssa Romine-Olson at the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona, you can contact the Gilbert Police Department by submitting a tip at GilbertAZ.gov/SubmitATip, in reference to case #16-9745.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Original reporting by Nicole Kagan
- Gilbert Police Department. Incident/Investigation Report: Case No. 16-000009745. Accessed 18 Sep. 2019.
- Gilbert Police Department. General Offense Hardcopy. GO #GI 2016-9745. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
- Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. Medical Examiner Report Case 16-04382. 2016. Accessed 27. Jan 2026.
- Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. Toxicology Report Case 16-04382. 2016. Accessed 27. Jan 2026.
- ABC15.com Staff. “Alyssa Romine Update: Missing Gilbert Woman Found in Lake.” ABC15 Arizona, 13 June 2016, https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/gilbert/alyssa-romine-search-gilbert-police-looking-for-missing-woman. Accessed 30 April 2026.
- “Gilbert Police Find Dead Body in Riparian Preserve.” FOX 10 Phoenix, 13 June 2016, https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/gilbert-police-find-dead-body-in-riparian-preserve. Accessed 29 April 2026.
- Pelton, Mike. “Family Still Seeks Answers over Gilbert Woman’s Death Two Years Ago.” ABC15 Arizona, 20 Nov. 2018, https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/gilbert/family-still-seeks-answers-over-gilbert-womans-death-two-years-ago. Accessed 29 April 2026.
- Chan, Cecilia. “Gilbert Woman’s Mysterious Death Unsolved.” Gilbert Sun News, 10 Sept. 2023, https://www.gilbertsunnews.com/news/gilbert-woman-s-mysterious-death-unsolved/article_de97cb46-4e7f-11ee-b69e-6b3428729274.html. Accessed 29 April 2026.
- Arizona, Superior Court of Maricopa County. State of Arizona v. Luis Bueno, no. CR 91-90782. “State’s Motion to Consolidate,” submitted by J. Daniel Hicks, 2 May 1991. Accessed 11 June 2026.
- Arizona, County of Maricopa. West Mesa J.P. Court. Release Questionnaire: State of Arizona vs. Bueno, Luis. 24 Feb. 1991. Accessed 11 June 2026.
- Gilbert Police Department. General Offense Hardcopy: (Special Incident) GO# GI 2016-7411. Reported by M. O’Hair, 2 May 2016. Accessed 10 June 2026.
- Hurd, Dale. “‘This Is Going to Come to America’: Evangelist Forced to Flee Denmark and Seek Asylum in US.” CBN News, 13 Sept. 2019, https://cbn.com/news/world/going-come-america-evangelist-forced-flee-denmark-and-seek-asylum-us. Accessed 6 June 2026.
- “About the Movement.” The Last Reformation, https://thelastreformation.com/about-the-movement/. Accessed 6 June 2026.
- “The Last Reformation Map.” The Last Reformation, https://map.thelastreformation.com/. Accessed 6 June 2026.
- Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry. Inmate Record for Luis Bueno, Inmate 087067. ADCRR Offender Search. Accessed 5 May 2026.
- Mesa Police Department. Incident/Investigation Report: Case Number 2017-0610748. 02 Mar. 2017. Accessed 30 June 2026.
- “#108 The Last Reformation.” The Cult Vault, episode 108, YouTube, uploaded by The Cult Vault, 26 Aug. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op30-s9uZWM. Accessed 6 June 2026.
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