How innovative thinking, drone technology, and ALERTWildfire infrared cameras helped locate a missing teenager's vehicle in Prosser Reservoir — and later disproved foul play theories.
Kiely Rodni, a 16-year-old, went missing after attending a party near Prosser Creek Reservoir in Truckee, California in August 2022. When she failed to return home, her family reported her missing.
A massive multi-agency search effort was launched involving hundreds of volunteers, law enforcement, and search teams. As days passed with no sign of Kiely or her vehicle, theories began circulating — including suspicions of foul play.
The community rallied around the search, but the terrain and vast area around the reservoir made the effort extraordinarily challenging. Traditional ground-level search methods had not yielded results, and hope was beginning to wane.
Prosser Reservoir, Truckee CA
Steve Fischer arrived at the search area approximately 7 days after the initial disappearance was reported. Working independently — not contracted by law enforcement — Steve deployed his SAR drone to methodically cover the area from multiple vantage points.
His approach was different from the official search: rather than just searching the ground and shoreline, Steve flew systematic drone patterns over the reservoir and surrounding terrain from various locations, capturing extensive aerial footage.
This methodical, technology-driven approach provided perspectives that ground-level searches simply could not achieve. The aerial vantage point offered a comprehensive view of the reservoir and its banks that would prove critical in the days ahead.
Drone Deployment
What Steve did next was innovative: he uploaded all of his drone footage to a private YouTube channel and posted the links publicly on Twitter, asking anyone who watched to contact the Placer County Sheriff's Department immediately if they spotted anything.
This crowdsourced approach — leveraging hundreds of eyes reviewing footage that a single investigator couldn't analyze alone — proved effective. The footage captured from different angles of the reservoir gave viewers a perspective that ground-level searches couldn't provide.
Key detail: footage shot on Day 4 of the search captured what would later prove to be critical visual evidence of the area where the vehicle was ultimately located. The car was spotted in the reservoir, leading to the recovery of Kiely's vehicle and her remains.
Crowdsourced Analysis
This is the most remarkable part of the case. Two to three weeks after Kiely was found, with foul play theories still circulating widely, Steve had an idea that no one else had pursued: check the ALERTWildfire camera archives.
ALERTWildfire is a network of infrared cameras positioned on fire lookout towers across the western United States, designed to detect wildfires. These cameras run 24/7 and archive their footage.
Steve researched which towers had line-of-sight to Prosser Reservoir and began reviewing the archived footage from the night Kiely disappeared. What he found was definitive: an ALERTWildfire camera positioned over 5 miles away had captured infrared footage showing headlights — consistent with a vehicle — driving toward the water's edge at the reservoir and slowly fading away as the car entered the water.
This footage was critical because it:
The Kiely Rodni case exemplifies how innovative thinking and independent investigation can produce results that traditional methods alone cannot achieve.
Steve didn't just deploy standard SAR equipment — he thought outside the box. Using ALERTWildfire cameras, a system designed for wildfire detection, to investigate a missing persons case was unprecedented. It demonstrates the value of lateral thinking in investigations.
By uploading drone footage publicly and asking the community to help review it, Steve multiplied his analysis capability exponentially. Hundreds of eyes reviewing footage is more effective than one investigator watching hours of video alone.
Working independently allowed Steve to pursue angles that the official investigation may not have considered. The fire cam discovery came weeks after the case was "closed" — proving that independent investigation can add value long after official efforts end.
Beyond locating the missing person, Steve's fire cam discovery helped put foul play theories to rest. For the family and community, this evidence provided answers and closure that the initial investigation could not.
When traditional methods fall short, creative thinking and advanced technology make the difference. Contact us for a free consultation.
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