Tucked between the Pacific and the mountains on California's central coast, Big Sur is a 90 miles stretch of breathtaking beauty. The author Henry Miller said, it was here in Big Sur that I first learned to say amen. To see what he was talking about, you'll need to brave highway one. Its two lanes wind above steep cliffs with waves crashing below. There are places to pull off to soak in the views. It's the vista of a hundred tv commercials. On September 22, 2022, something happened here that you'll never see on any postcard of this slice of paradise. On that morning, a bright red Honda Accord cruised south down highway one and pulled over just past mile marker 56. Who was in that car? And what happened before and after that moment are questions that haunt a family. The Honda belonged to 25 year old Arelli Garcia, and she hasn't been seen or heard from since that morning.

It's been like a scary movie since the day it happened. Like it's just been a nightmare. And we pray every night that she comes home.

Veronica Garcia and Ellie Mendoza are Areli's sisters. Is there any reason why your sister would be in Big Sur?

No idea. It's still a mystery to this day.

A mystery that, to Arelli's family and others, sounds eerily similar to another case.

They're both young, you know, they're both women of color. They both went missing at the same area. It is very shady, for sure.

I'm Josh Mankiewicz, and this is Dateline. Missing in America. Today's episode is mystery down highway one. We first covered Orlli's story in September 2023. Her family was desperate to find Areli then, and they're still searching for her. Please listen closely, because you or someone you know might have information that could help solve this case and give Arelli's family the answers they're looking for. Salinas, California, sits about 50 miles north of big surge and proudly bills itself as the salad bowl of the world. The miles of farmland surrounding the city are an economic engine, but not so much a tourist destination. It's where Arelli Garcia grew up, in a big, close knit family. She and her sister Veronica are two years apart.

We are seven siblings in total.

And where is she in the middle of all this?

She's the little one.

She's the youngest.

She's the baby.

That's Arelli's sister Ellie, again, the baby of the family. So she kind of looked up to all of you?

Yeah, she had a lot of sisters to look up to. And anytime she needed help, she would ask us.

Veronica and Ellie told me the three of them are especially close.

Hola.

Holaeh. That's obvious in videos they've recorded.

Tell me I don't look like evil Ariel. Like when Ursula turns into fake Ariel.

That was Arelli doing an impression from the little mermaid. With her long, thick hair and dramatic pose. She definitely nailed it. Her sisters say Arelli loved to make others laugh.

She's just very funny, very hardworking. She's always helping someone.

After high school, Arelli got certified as an automotive specialist and hit the job market.

She was very busy. She was working full time at a car dealership, my Chevy. She was the service advisor there.

Now, for Areli, cars weren't just a job. They were an obsession. She belonged to a car club, and in her free time, she went to car I just want to say happy birthday, and I hope you get better, and I love you.Three months before her disappearance, Arelli recorded a birthday video for Veronica, who was ill and couldn't go out to celebrate.And I will see you soon, so I can give you your gifts and let me know if you need anything. And I miss you and enjoy your day.This is not a pleasant question to ask either of you. You think your sister is still alive?Yes. Yes. We believe it in our hearts that she's still out there somewhere, for sure.You think someone has her locked up somewhere?Probably at this point, because it's just incredible how there's no. Nobody knows nothing. Nobody saw nothing. So it has to be that.You think there are witnesses out there that know things that aren't saying.Oh, yes, definitely. There's definitely someone. It takes one person, you know, to come forward, and maybe they're scared.Maybe they don't realize that the information they have is as significant as it might be.Yes, exactly.On July 22, 2023, ten months after Arelli's disappearance, her family celebrated her 26th birthday. It was a way to keep her memory and their hope alive.Happy birthday, dear Aurelie happy birthday to you.Arelli's godson, Davion, sang with gusto and blew out the candles on his aunt's cake. He was three when Orli went missing. Veronica and Ellie make a point of showing him pictures of her so he doesn't forget his godmother, because we know.She'S gonna come back one day. Yeah. My son still asks for her to this day. We pray together every night.I really hope those prayers are answered for both of you.Thank you.I really do. Maybe this will do a little bit of good.I hope so.Here's where you can help. Areli Garcia is five foot five, about 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black leggings. You can see photos of Arelli and her car on our website, including the Google maps image of her Honda parked on highway one in Big Sur. You can also see that video showing her leaving her apartment on September 22, 2022. It's the last known image of her. Anyone with information about Areli's disappearance is asked to call Detective Edwin Cruz with the Salinas Police Department at 831.Or.The anonymous tip line at. And anyone with information about Kaylee Gammell's case is asked to call Detective Aris Wilson with the Monterey County Sheriff's office at 759 7203. To learn more about other people weve covered in our missing in America series, go to datelinemissinginamerica.com. there youll be able to submit cases you think we should cover in the future. Thanks for listening. See you Fridays on dateline on NBC. Missing in America is a production of Dateline and NBC News. Kate Vidic is the producer of this episode. Brian Drew is the audio editor, Keani Reed is associate producer, Bradley Davis is senior producer, Paul Ryan is executive producer, and Liz Cole is senior executive producer. From NBC News. Audio sound mixing by Bob Mallory Bryson Barnes is head of audio production.

I just want to say happy birthday, and I hope you get better, and I love you.

Three months before her disappearance, Arelli recorded a birthday video for Veronica, who was ill and couldn't go out to celebrate.

And I will see you soon, so I can give you your gifts and let me know if you need anything. And I miss you and enjoy your day.

This is not a pleasant question to ask either of you. You think your sister is still alive?

Yes. Yes. We believe it in our hearts that she's still out there somewhere, for sure.

You think someone has her locked up somewhere?

Probably at this point, because it's just incredible how there's no. Nobody knows nothing. Nobody saw nothing. So it has to be that.

You think there are witnesses out there that know things that aren't saying.

Oh, yes, definitely. There's definitely someone. It takes one person, you know, to come forward, and maybe they're scared.

Maybe they don't realize that the information they have is as significant as it might be.

Yes, exactly.

On July 22, 2023, ten months after Arelli's disappearance, her family celebrated her 26th birthday. It was a way to keep her memory and their hope alive.

Happy birthday, dear Aurelie happy birthday to you.

Arelli's godson, Davion, sang with gusto and blew out the candles on his aunt's cake. He was three when Orli went missing. Veronica and Ellie make a point of showing him pictures of her so he doesn't forget his godmother, because we know.

She'S gonna come back one day. Yeah. My son still asks for her to this day. We pray together every night.

I really hope those prayers are answered for both of you.

Thank you.

I really do. Maybe this will do a little bit of good.

I hope so.

Here's where you can help. Areli Garcia is five foot five, about 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black leggings. You can see photos of Arelli and her car on our website, including the Google maps image of her Honda parked on highway one in Big Sur. You can also see that video showing her leaving her apartment on September 22, 2022. It's the last known image of her. Anyone with information about Areli's disappearance is asked to call Detective Edwin Cruz with the Salinas Police Department at 831.

Or.

The anonymous tip line at. And anyone with information about Kaylee Gammell's case is asked to call Detective Aris Wilson with the Monterey County Sheriff's office at 759 7203. To learn more about other people weve covered in our missing in America series, go to datelinemissinginamerica.com. there youll be able to submit cases you think we should cover in the future. Thanks for listening. See you Fridays on dateline on NBC. Missing in America is a production of Dateline and NBC News. Kate Vidic is the producer of this episode. Brian Drew is the audio editor, Keani Reed is associate producer, Bradley Davis is senior producer, Paul Ryan is executive producer, and Liz Cole is senior executive producer. From NBC News. Audio sound mixing by Bob Mallory Bryson Barnes is head of audio production.