Katharina Buczek
Thirty-six-year-old Michelle Bernstein-Schultz was originally from the bustling borough of Queens, New York. But, at the age of seven, she and her family moved to Gilbert, Arizona– an agricultural town known for its family-friendly farms.
Michelle took a particular interest in the region’s abundant wilderness and launched into a new hobby– hiking.
“Michelle’s an avid hiker. She takes her hiking very seriously,” Michelle’s sister, Danielle, said to Dateline.
Aside from that, Michelle also has two sons– who are ten and fifteen– from previous marriages. They both live with their fathers; meanwhile, Michelle began to get more serious with her boyfriend last year.
The couple moved in together in Phoenix, Arizona, in October of 2021 and have been dating for about a year and a half.
But, by June of this year, everything changed for Michelle and her family.
It all began on June 28, 2022, when Michelle learned that a personal injury settlement check would be available for her to collect on July 1. She had been involved in a car accident earlier this year and was being awarded two thousand and five hundred dollars.
Then, on June 29, Michelle reportedly spent the entire day at home in Phoenix. She did not speak to any family members that day, but she did text a friend all day long.
Phoenix Police Department; pictured above is Michelle
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However, Michelle’s last message was sent at 4:03 p.m., and no one heard from her again after that.
And according to Michelle’s boyfriend, she had told him that she wasn’t feeling well that day and did not want to be bothered. So, after he arrived home later that evening, he claims to have gone right to bed on the living room sofa.
Then, come the morning of June 30, he reportedly went into their bedroom to check on Michelle and realized that she was not in there. Moreover, her phone, keys, cash, credit card, and driver’s license had all been left behind.
Michelle’s car was also still in the parking lot of their apartment complex, and her beloved dog, Ava– whom she took everywhere– was also left behind.
So, Michelle’s boyfriend contacted the Phoenix Police Department and filed a missing person’s report that morning. But sadly, the Bernstein family has been left without any answers for three months now.
Investigators reportedly found no evidence of foul play; however, the circumstances surrounding Michelle’s disappearance still remain unclear.
Authorities believe that after Michelle sent her last text to her friend at 4:03 p.m., she walked out of her apartment since her gray hiking sandals, blue backpack, and bedazzled bumblebee cup were all missing from the apartment.
Still, what exactly happened afterward remains a mystery. And according to Michelle’s sister, Daniella, she would not have just disappeared on purpose without picking up that settlement check.
“[If she] had planned to do something like this, she would have wanted those $2,500,” Daniella said.
And according to the attorney’s office, Phillips Law Firm, the check has remained unclaimed.
So, Michelle’s family has been left trying to put together the pieces of this strange disappearance. Daniella explained how they had launched their own searches, reached out to local politicians, and are even working on getting a billboard to raise awareness about Michelle’s case.
Nonetheless, the best thing anyone can do to help is to report any information they have regarding Michelle’s disappearance.
“If anyone has seen or heard from her after June 29, we would really like them to come forward,” Daniella said.
According to a Tweet posted by the Phoenix Police on July 2, Michelle is five-foot-six, weighs two hundred pounds, and has short black hair.
She also has various tattoos, including an EKG rhythm on her left collarbone and a star on her right wrist.
If you have any information regarding Michelle’s whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Phoenix Police Department at (602) 534-2121.
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