Naomi Irion missing: Teen possibly kidnapped in her own car from Walmart parking lot, police say

RENO, Nevada -- Police near Reno are releasing surveillance images after a teen was possibly abducted from a Walmart parking lot.

Police believe the 18-year-old Nevada woman may have been kidnapped in her own car.

"Some monster takes them, and you don't know what's happened, you don't know where they are and nobody even noticed she was missing," said her mother, Diana Irion.

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Naomi Irion was last seen Saturday around 5 a.m. in a Walmart parking lot in Fernley, near Reno, waiting for a shuttle bus to take her to work at a nearby company.

When she didn't show up and didn't return home, her family called police.

"They confirmed that she missed her shifts Saturday and Sunday, which was really unusual," Irion said. "My daughter was extremely reliable."

The local sheriff's office says a person captured on surveillance video may be involved in Irion's disappearance.

They say surveillance video- which has not been released- shows a person walking from a nearby homeless camp and lurking around vehicles, before getting into the driver's seat of Irion's car, and then driving away with Irion in the passenger seat.

"To me it looked clear, to me it looked like a clear abduction," said her brother, Casey Valley.

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Investigators said Thursday afternoon that the video shows the suspect said or did something to make her move from the driver's side to the passenger side of her car before he drove off with her.

"She is not a fighter, meaning the guy who pushed her into a car, she froze. She didn't do anything. She just froze," her brother said, with detectives and the sheriff by his side. "As we can clarify really quick, and, detective, correct me if I'm wrong. We're not saying that this person was necessarily a homeless person. He came from that direction. Like, but so, but it's enough of something that just, state that it's worth noting. This person did say or do something to Naomi to make her move over from the driver's side to the passenger side."

Police found Irion's car Tuesday abandoned in a nearby industrial park. Detectives say evidence in the car suggests her disappearance was the result of a crime, but they would not specify what they found.

Investigators also say they believe the driver of a truck has direct connection to Irion's disappearance.

With so many questions, Irion's family says they worry more with each passing day.

"We can't lose sight of what's really important," Valley said. "And that's Naomi's life and time's ticking, we're out of time."

Naomi moved to Fernley in August of 2021, her brother said. Irion's father, Herve, lives in South Africa with Irion's mother. He also spoke during Thursday's press conference, urging the community to report anything suspicious.

"We beg you, if you have any information to contact authorities," her father said.

Irion's family said they don't recognize the hooded person in those pictures. The sheriff's department said they are working to get better pictures of who they are looking for.

Irion is described as 511 with dyed black hair, and green eyes. One eye also has brown in it.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call the Lyon County Sheriff's Office at 775-463-6620 and reference case 22LY01068. You can also contact Secret Witness at 775-322-4900.