Missing woman's car seen in New Mexico

HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - The vehicle of a Holland mother of three who disappeared more than two weeks ago has been spotted in New Mexico, and police say it now appears she left home of her own volition.

A traffic monitor camera along U.S. 70 near Alamagordo, N.M. photographed Emelene VanDyke's vehicle's license plate number -- which had been entered into a national database -- around 4 p.m. Sunday, El Paso Intelligence Center officials told the Holland Department of Public Safety.

VanDyke, 36, disappeared from her College Avenue residence on Valentine's Day weekend. She had planned to go on no-electronics retreat near Traverse City and was reported missing Feb. 19 after she never returned to work. Police got involved because they could not determine whether VanDyke was OK. There was early evidence she was alive after she visited Gun Lake Casino.

Photos from the New Mexico camera show Michigan license plate CGE1862 was still on VanDyke's gray, four-door 2013 Hyundai Accent.

Investigators said Monday that after viewing the photos, they are 98% certain the woman driving was VanDyke. The only difference is that she appears to have changed her hair color.

"From the photographs that we have, it appears that she's the lone occupant of the vehicle. She's the driver. No one else is with her. So it appears that she's down there of her own free will," said Holland Department of Public Safety Capt. Jack Dykstra.

Holland police aren't releasing the picture because until they can find out exactly what happened, it's still an open investigation.

"This really confirms that we've thought all along: That she left on her own volition and she is OK. She needed to, for whatever reason, unplug and go off to be by herself," said Jack Dykstra. 'It kind of gives us, especially the family, but investigators a sigh of relief that she's OK. But it still leaves questions out there that need to be answered."

Investigators still want to check on VanDyke. New Mexico authorities are now are on the lookout for her car. If they see it, they'll pull her over, check her well-being and if she did just take off on her own, they'll let her go.

"The question will be, 'What's going on? Your family's wondering where you are," said Dykstra.

Friends, meanwhile, told 24 Hour News 8 they are relieved but puzzled. Longtime friend Courtnie Turpin has mixed emotions about Sunday's sighting.

"It's the better of the two answers that was going through my head," said Turpin. "It's good because she's alive and at least seems to be doing it on her own. But at the same time, lots of questions. Why, mostly."

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Holland police still say there is nothing to connect VanDyke's case with Fred Byrne, the man missing out of Big Rapids who was last seen in Holland around the time of VanDyke's disappearance.