Police search mines for missing mom

A search Thursday of abandoned mine shafts in Storey and Lyon counties yielded no new clues in the case of a missing Carson City mother.

"These are areas where we think a body can be disposed off. A couple of the areas had already been searched, but we wanted to double check them and there was one mine shaft that nobody had searched over," said Carson City Sheriff's Sgt. Bob White. "They were in the corridor and close to the road."

Bertha Anguiano, 33, was last seen Nov. 10 about 8 a.m. dropping off her 6-year-old son at Empire Elementary School in Carson City.

Her youngest son, 3-year-old Andrew, was found 90 minutes later bloodied and abandoned 15 miles from home behind a Dayton grocery store.

He told police he witnessed his mother's killing at the hands of her alleged lover, Israel "Juan Carlos" Tellez.

A forensic test revealed the blood found on Andrew's clothing possibly belonged to the married mother of three.

When approached by police in Salt Lake City, Tellez allegedly pulled a gun on officers.

He is being held in the Salt Lake County Jail on charges of aggravated assault.

Forensic testing of Tellez's truck found blood that may also belong to Anguiano.

Search and rescue crews from both Carson and Lyon counties have scoured the desert between Carson City and Fallon where Tellez was known to be on the afternoon of Anguiano's disappearance.

But despite their efforts, no new clues have been uncovered, White said.

Anyone with information on Anguiano's whereabouts, or who may have seen something suspicious is asked to call the Carson City Sheriff's Department at 887-2020 extension 1400.

Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.