Wealthy realtor, 86, who 'loved the finer things' disappeared into California desert after fight with daughter and grandson... then a livestreamer made horrific discovery at beauty spot

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 17:43, 21 April 2026 | Updated: 17:43, 21 April 2026 An elderly realtor who 'loved the finer things' mysteriously vanished into the California desert just days before a livestreamer found her dead body.  Lorraine Bird, 86, was reported missing by her family on May 13, 2025, after last being seen driving away from her Twentynine Palms home around noon on May 10, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.  Before she vanished, Bird fought with her daughter, Doreen Bird, 65, and her grandson, Blake Thomas, real estate attorney Sherry Lear told the Los Angeles Times.  Bird also had a series of health problems, including early-stage dementia, the sheriff's office said. She did not take her medication with her when she went missing.  Nearly a week later, on May 19, a female livestreamer, who posts travel content on social media, found Bird's body curled up in a pile of boulders while exploring the Graffiti Rocks in the Johnson Valley area of the Mojave Desert, authorities said.  The unnamed content creator called 911 to report the body, which only had a pair of underwear on, before going on to stream herself discussing the chilling discovery until deputies arrived, according to the Times. Before her death, Bird, a well-groomed woman who always had her nails, makeup, and hair done, was working on selling her home after Doreen decided to leave the area and move in with her son Blake in Florida, The Times stated.  Tensions had reportedly arisen between the three after Doreen and Blake told Bird they wanted money from the sale of the home.  Lorraine Bird, 86, was reported missing on May 13, 2025. On May 19, her body was found curled up in a pile of boulders in the Mojave Desert Before she vanished, Bird (right) had a fight with her daughter, Doreen Bird (middle), 65, and her grandson, Blake Thomas (left), real estate attorney Sherry Lear told the Los Angeles Times Doreen invested money into improvements on the modest $247,000 home, while Blake contributed money for the house's initial down payment, the outlet stated.  Blake also wanted his grandmother to sign a deed of trust that would make him a secured creditor against the property, or a lender holding a lien on a borrower's assets, per the publication.  Bird started to feel pressured about her family member's demands, so she reached out to Lear for advice, the attorney claimed.  Lear, who agreed to be a mediator between the family, said Bird called in a panic in February that year, stating that Doreen demanded she sign a deed of trust. That sparked a fight between the mother and daughter, and led Doreen to threaten to turn off the utilities she was paying for in her mother's home if she didn't sign the paperwork, according to Lear.  'Lorraine was very upset. She said this wasn't the first time that Doreen had yelled at her. And that she was afraid of her,' Lear stated.  Before her death, Bird, a well-kept woman who always had her nails, makeup, and hair done, was working on selling her home in Twentynine Palms, California. (Pictured: Stock image) Lear then drew up a cease-and-desist, or a formal demand to stop Doreen's threats, and sent it to her and her son, the legal document reviewed by The Times revealed.  Bird then went on to sign a promissory note stating that she would pay Blake $30,000 within days of Bird selling her home, the notarized document obtained by The Times read.  The document noted that the debt would wash away if Blake received 80 percent of the property titles after Bird's death, the publication added.  Bird's friend and realtor selling the home, Sandra Claus, told the Times that she spoke to Bird over the phone on the morning of May 10, when the two of them agreed on the final terms of sale. The relator then sent a contract to Bird over email to sign, but she heard nothing back.  She grew increasingly worried after Bird didn't respond to her texts and emails in the coming days.   Claus then got a call from Blake, who told her that Bird had gone on a trip to visit a relative in Apple Valley, about an hour-and-a-half from Twentynine Palms, she said.  Blake told the outlet he made that call after his mother informed him that his grandmother 'took off' to visit family following a disagreement.  Bird also had a series of health problems, including early-stage dementia, the sheriff's office said. She did not take her medication with her when she went missing His mother reported her mother missing on May 13, Blake said.  'She’s not supposed to not contact anybody. No matter if they were in an argument or whatever,' he said of his then-missing grandmother.  Officials were able to identify Bird by her fingerprints, and Bird's gray 2022 Mercedes E-Class sedan was later found about 30 miles away from where her body was located.  Nearly a year after her body was found, little is known about what happened to Bird.  An autopsy report reviewed by The Times listed her cause of death as undetermined, along with an unknown time of death.  The report also noted that the coroner was not able to rule out trauma because of the heavy decomposition and insect activity her body endured.  It was determined that the late relator suffered a broken rib, but that injury is believed to have happened after she died, forensic pathologist Michael Baden, who reviewed the autopsy, told The Times.  A female livestreamer, who posts travel content on social media, found Bird's body curled up in a pile of boulders while exploring the Graffiti Rocks in the Johnson Valley area of the Mojave Desert (stock image) Caffeine and a beta blocker, or prescription medications used to treat high blood pressure, were found in her system, a toxicology report determined, per the outlet.  Baden also noted that the autopsy uncovered that Bird had severe heart disease with up to 90 percent coronary artery narrowing, he told the publication.  Bird's death has driven a wedge between her surviving family members, with Blake and Doreen vehemently denying accusations of involvement in the disappearance. Blake claims he and his mother have since been left to fend for themselves as a result of the 'one-sided' family feud. 'It’s all just a biased, one-sided story from that side,' Blake told The Times, adding that he and his mother were not involved in Bird's puzzling death.  'I loved my grandma very much and I’m very sad that she’s gone,' Blake, who said he was home in Florida when it all went down, said.   The Daily Mail contacted Doreen, Blake, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for comment.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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