WASHINGTON CITY — It has been five months since Courtney Lynne Townsend disappeared and her family hasn’t stopped seeking her return for a single moment.

As previously reported in St. George News, the St. George Police Department issued a missing persons notice for Townsend on January 8.

“I just hope that she knows I’m not going to give up on her,” Dallas Jimenez, Townsend’s sister, told St. George News Saturday at a candlelight vigil held by the family at Nisson Park in Washington City.

“I’m not going to let her be put on the back burner and be forgotten,” she added.

The past five months have been a “roller coaster,” Jimenez said, noting that she herself has had seizures because of the mental health toll her sister’s disappearance has taken.

“I miss hanging out with her. She’s got such a bubbly personality,” Jimenez said about her sister. “She’s a really big people person. I used to be so jealous of how good she is with people. I miss her uplifting personality. She’s my sister. She was my first best friend.”

Townsend, 32, was last seen in mid-November of last year. The car she had last been seen driving was later discovered at a campsite on Cedar Mountain.

Despite employing the services of a private investigator as well as working with police on a regular basis for months, the family has made no progress locating Townsend.

“Friends have helped me make new fliers with accurate information that is just focusing on the fact that she’s a missing person and she needs to be found,” Jimenez said.

About 20 people attended the Saturday night service. Vince Valence and his wife Chris, who call themselves “People Ministers” from the Calvary Chapel of St. George, offered words of prayer and comfort at the vigil.

Vince Valence read scripture from Isaiah 41:10, noting promises in the scripture to strengthen and uphold everyone.

Chris Valence offered words of support for Jimenez and all of Townsend’s family with prayers that God would be with them and with Townsend.

Salt Lake City private investigator Jason K. Jensen said a new team of Jensen Investigations operatives is investigating Townsend’s case.

“I am a founder of the Cold Case Coalition,” Jensen told St. George News in an email. “One of our programs we launched this year is the Missing Coalition. The program’s mission is to prevent missing persons cases from becoming cold cases in 3 years, according to Utah statute.”

Police say Townsend recently changed hair color from green to brown before the family reported her missing. She is listed as 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 110 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes on the missing persons report.

Townsend has “Love” tattooed on her left wrist, “Fear” on her right wrist, “Independence” on her left hip, “Dalton” on her right foot, flames and crosses on her abdomen and cherries on her chest.

Anyone with information regarding Townsend’s whereabouts is urged to call the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4300 and refer to case number 23P032456.

St. George News reporter Haven Scott contributed to this report.

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