The cousin of a missing Reno woman is distributing flyers in Carson Valley, hoping that someone may be able to provide a lead to the 19-year-old's whereabouts.
"We're just grasping at straws," said Tink Thran, a longtime Ruhenstroth resident.
Her cousin, Brianna Zunino Denison, was last seen at 4 a.m. Sunday, and authorities believe she was abducted from a friend's house near the University of Nevada, Reno, campus.
"We're hoping if somebody sees her picture, they might have seen something or overheard something," Kenny Thran said Wednesday.
Tink Thran's uncle, Bob Zunino of Reno, is Denison's grandfather.
The Thrans said they had not seen Denison since a family gathering in Reno in July.
"She's a good girl," Tink Thran said. "She doesn't get in trouble, she doesn't use drugs. She comes from a very loving, close-knit family."
The young woman's father died when she was 4, and she grew up in Reno with her mother and younger brother. Denison is a student at Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, Calif., where she is majoring in psychology.
"All their family and friends have been so supportive," Thran said. "This just makes you hurt so much inside."
Kenny Thran said he was at a convenience store with the missing person posters, and another customer offered to distribute several at the Lake.
"We want to thank all the local people for helping us," he said.
Denison's disappearance has been reported on all the major television networks including CBS and CNN.
"It's a shock to see those posters on television," he said. "Before, I'd hear these stories of missing children, and think about how much those people must hurt. When the tables are turned, it's just a sickening feeling to think it's our family."
DETAILS
Brianna Zunino Denison is 19, weighs 98 pounds, and is 5 feet tall. She has long brown hair and blue eyes. Denison was last seen at 4 a.m., Sunday, at 1395 Mackay Court, near the University of Nevada, Reno, campus. Anyone with information is asked to call the Reno Police Department. A 24-hour tip line has been established at 745-3521. Detectives can be reached at 334-2115.
