A West Virginia mother is in custody after her 26-year-old daughter disappeared. Four days later, investigators found her daughter in a shallow grave. Her mother is now charged with murder.
According to the West Virginia State Police, it all started when 50-year-old Staci Wind reported her daughter, Ayla Wind, who investigators later found dead, missing on May 18 in Richwood, West Virginia, a small city in Nicholas County.
According to local news outlet WSAZ, Ayla’s final known text message to her mother said she was stopping to get snacks at a gas station.
A GoFundMe launched after Ayla’s death says she had been planning to move back to Utah, and Ayla was reportedly scheduled to pick up a rental car the same day she vanished.
The grim discovery
The investigation turned grim four days after Staci reported her daughter had vanished, on May 22, when troopers with the West Virginia State Police Richwood Detachment responded to Summit Lake in neighboring Greenbrier County after receiving a report of possible human remains.
During a search of the area, investigators discovered what police described as a shallow grave containing Ayla’s body. Authorities also recovered a phone matching the description of Ayla’s phone near the scene.
Some reports say the victim’s body had been burned, though officials said her exact cause of death remains under investigation.
One day later, on May 23, police arrested Staci at a residence on Riverside Drive in Richwood. She was charged with first-degree murder in connection with her daughter’s death and transported to Central Regional Jail. Jail records cited by multiple outlets show Wind is being held without bond awaiting her arraignment.
Investigators have released few details about what they believe happened between mother and daughter before Ayla’s disappearance. However, some speculate the planned move back to Utah may have played a role in the alleged killing.
Police have not revealed additional evidence or said whether any weapons were recovered. Authorities have not said whether investigators immediately suspected foul play or when suspicion turned toward the victim’s mother.
State police noted that Staci actively filed a missing-person report with the Richwood Police Department on May 18 to deflect suspicion.
As of May 26, Staci Wind remains in custody while the homicide investigation continues. Authorities have not announced a preliminary hearing date or released court documents detailing probable cause allegations beyond the initial charge.
Officials also have not said whether additional charges could be filed as the investigation develops. Ayla’s death remains under active investigation by the West Virginia State Police. Investigators continue to process evidence connected to the burial site near Summit Lake.
Published: May 26, 2026 01:39 pm