The Disappearance and Murder of Candice Taylor

Candice Taylor vanished at the age of 21 in March 2017. She was reportedly last seen in the northeast side of Columbus, Ohio. Candice’s mother reported her missing on March 17th, 2017. There is very little information on the exact circumstances of her disappearance, however Candice’s mother stated that she continued to receive text messages from Candice’s phone up until June 2017. 

The first text message was sent shortly after Candice was reported missing. The message stated that Candice was pregnant, and she was going to Cincinnati to “clear her head.” The next set of messages were sent during the months of April and May. During those months, Candice’s mother reportedly received messages from Candice’s phone, stating that she wanted “space for a month or two.” 

The last message Candice’s mother received was on June 24th, 2017—Candice’s 22nd birthday. Candice’s mother reportedly sent her a text to wish her a happy birthday, to which she received a response that simply stated “thanks”. At the time the messages were received, Candice’s mother appeared to believe that they were sent by Candice herself—even though Candice had not been seen by any of her family members or friends since March of 2017.

Just days after Candice was reported missing, on March 29th, 2017, a set of human legs were found in a garbage truck at a garbage sorting facility on the northwest side of Columbus. Investigators searched the areas along the garbage truck’s route but did not find any other remains or clues. It took nearly two years to identify who the legs belonged to, but in January 2019, investigators confirmed that the partial remains were that of Candice Taylor.

At the time the partial remains were found, Candice’s mother still believed that her daughter was alive—as she was still receiving text messages from her phone for months after the fact. However, once the human remains were identified, police shifted Candice’s case into a homicide investigation. If Candice has been deceased since March of 2017, it is clear that the text messages that her mother received from Candice’s phone were not from Candice herself. It appears likely that whoever had her phone knows what happened to Candice. The phone has never been located.

Police have not publicly named any suspects or persons of interest in Candice's case. Various sources report that she was living with her boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, but it's unclear if he is a suspect. Other than that, very little information about the investigation is available.

The rest of Candice's remains have not been found. Her murder remains unsolved. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Ohio homicide detectives at 614-645-4730.

-

Sources:
Charley Project
Ohio Attorney General
Our Black Girls

The Disappearance of Joniah Walker

 

Joniah Walker has been missing since June 23rd, 2022. The then-15-year-old was last seen near her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Joniah's father was supposed to pick her up from her residence around 4:00 PM that afternoon, but when he arrived, Joniah was nowhere to be found. Her family has not seen or heard from her again.

After Joniah was reported missing, it was revealed that a neighbor's Ring camera captured her leaving her home around 2:30 PM on the day of her disappearance. Phone records revealed that Joniah called her therapist at 3:27 PM. Later that evening, she sent a text to her therapist that said she ran away from home. This is the last known communication from Joniah; it appears that nobody has heard from her since this message. 

Ring footage of Joniah. (image source: cbs58.com)

There isn't any information available about why Joniah would want to run away. According to her mother, Joniah has struggled with both depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It's unclear if this plays a role in her disappearance, but it certainly has escalated concerns for her safety. Joniah's mother also said that Joniah has never run away before in the past.

The Milwaukee Police Department is appealing to the public for anyone with information that could lead to Joniah's whereabouts. She is described as a black female who stands at about 5'3" and weighs approximately 130 pounds. If you have seen Joniah, or have any information about her whereabouts, please contact the Milwaukee PD at 414-933-4444 or the National Center for Missing Children’s hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
-
Sources:
CBS 58
Crime Online
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Murder of Jeremy Toles

(image source)

Jeremy Toles was only 24 years old when he was found murdered on April 11th, 2011. The young man's body was discovered by a farmer in a field in Logan County, Oklahoma. An autopsy concluded that Jeremy had been killed by blunt force trauma to the head. His death was subsequently labeled as a homicide.

Jeremy last spoke to his family on April 9th, 2011. He called his mother, Gladys Toles, and told her he was going to stop by her residence to do laundry and to check on his baby daughter - who was just a few months old at the time. However, Jeremy never showed up as planned. He reportedly met up with friends in Langston, Oklahoma, instead. 

Gladys attempted to call Jeremy several times, but he did not answer. This was inevitably worrisome, and those worries intensified the following day, when Gladys learned Jeremy had not shown up for work. Just hours later, Gladys heard the news that a body had been found in a nearby rural area. The body was identified as Jeremy Toles very shortly thereafter.

The news of Jeremy's death baffled his loved ones. Those closest to him stated that Jeremy had gone through a few rough years, but he was in a good place at the time of his murder. Jeremy was once a star football player, but his football career abruptly ended in 2007 when he was shot in the leg while leaving a pizza parlor. Friends of Jeremy said that this changed him, and he fell in with a rough crowd. In 2009, he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and concealing stolen property. Jeremy ultimately pleaded guilty to those charges and received a five-year deferred sentence. 

By 2011, it seemed as if Jeremy had moved on from that rough phase in his life. His loved ones said that after he learned he was going to be a father, he turned his life around. This makes his murder all the more baffling, as it appears he was on a good path at the time. As of today, no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified. 

If you have any information that could lead to the person(s) responsible for Jeremy's murder, please submit a tip at tips@osbi.ok.gov.

-
Sources:
News 9
The Oklahoman
Oklahoma State Bureau
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Cierra Chapman

 

Cierra Chapman has been missing since December 27th, 2022. The 30-year-old woman was last seen after leaving her ex-boyfriend's apartment in Trotwood, Ohio. Cierra reportedly left the residence in her SRX silver Cadillac SUV and never returned to her own home. She has not been seen or heard from again.

Cierra was reported missing on December 29th, 2022. Her loved ones have maintained that she would not abruptly leave or stop contacting her family members - especially her one-year-old son. Fears for Cierra's safety escalated on January 6th, 2023, when her vehicle was found abandoned in Middletown, Ohio. Middletown is approximately 20 miles away from Trotwood and it is unclear if Cierra has any ties to the area.

According to police, Cierra's purse and other personal items were found inside her car. This raises even more red flags, as it is uncharacteristic of her to leave those items behind. Large searches for Cierra have been conducted, but unfortunately no further sign of her has been found.

Both investigators and Cierra's family members fear that foul play is involved in her disappearance. In fact, Maj. Brian Johns of the Dayton police told reporters that "[Cierra] didn’t go missing by accident. This was a very well-planned out, well-orchestrated incident, and people know. We know that they know, and they know that we know." This statement indicates that investigators may have a person of interest, but at this time, nobody has been publicly named.

The FBI is now involved in the search for Cierra. There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip.

-
Sources:
FBI
Oxygen
WHIOTV

The Murder of Marilyn Scott

 

The morning of February 7th, 2017 began as a normal morning for Marilyn Scott. The 28-year-old woke up, got ready for the day, and then exited her Bel Air, Maryland apartment to head to work. Marilyn was a staff sergeant for the Air National Guard, and she worked at their offices in New Castle, Delaware. It was an approximate 50-minute drive from her home in Maryland to her place of employment. Marilyn was used this commute; but on this particular morning, she never ended up making it to work. 

Neighbors called police that morning after hearing at least four gunshots in the parking lot of Marilyn's apartment building. When police arrived on the scene, they found Marilyn slumped over in her Honda Accord. She had suffered several gunshot wounds, and it was immediately clear that she had been murdered.

Police noted that nothing appeared to be missing or stolen from Marilyn's car or apartment, so a robbery was quickly ruled out as a motive. It was immediately believed that she was targeted - but it was difficult to come up with a suspect. Marilyn's loved ones described her as a private person, so even those closest to her were unaware of who she was interacting with prior to her murder. In fact, Marilyn was actually three months pregnant at the time of her death, but her family members did not know about the pregnancy until after she was killed. 

Investigators have revealed very little about the investigation into Marilyn's murder, However, an article from 2018 states that detectives "narrowed down their search on who they think killed her. But they don't have enough to link who they think did it the morning of the crime." Investigators have not publicly named this person. However, Marilyn's sister Paris Scott stated that it's possibly the father of Marilyn's unborn child. Paris is quoted in the same article saying, "My sister was pregnant when she was murdered and the number one suspect matches that DNA."

Years have passed since that report, but an arrest has still not been made in Marilyn's case. As of today, her case remains unsolved. Detectives are still hoping to find that key piece of evidence that will allow them to finally move forward with the case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please submit a tip to Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.

-
Sources:
Baltimore Sun
Project Cold Case
WMAR

The Disappearance of Shanyea Rolle

 

Shanyea Rolle has been missing since December 30th, 2020. The then-27-year-old was last seen in Houston, Texas. According to reports, she was last seen with an unidentified black man at a gas station off Fondren and South Main Street. Some reports say Shanyea was last seen getting into a black sedan at the gas station, while other reports say she was seen being dropped off at the gas station. Either way, Shanyea never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. 

According to family members, it is unusual for Shanyea to fall out-of-touch – especially with her son, who was only 8 years-old at the time of her disappearance. Shanyea’s family members said they have not received a lot of help and/or updates from police on the status of the investigation. Other than that, very little information is available about her case.

Shanyea remains missing today, and her family is still fighting for answers. She is described as 5'5" and approximately 135 lbs. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office at 281-341-4665.
-
Sources:
Charley Project
Our Black Girls
Uncovered
The Vivid Faces of the Vanished

The Disappearance and Murder of Ieasha Abrams

 

Ieasha Abrams' life was headed in a positive direction during the fall of 2017. After years of struggling with drugs and occasional run-ins with the law, the 34-year-old woman seemed to be in a much better place. Ieasha had a steady job at a restaurant, and she also had recently leased an apartment off of Beacon Parkway East in Birmingham, Alabama. According to family members, Ieasha was the happiest she had been in a long time. This made her disappearance in late September 2017 all the more confusing and shocking.

Due to Ieasha's previous struggles, her three children were being cared for by her relatives. However, prior to her disappearance, she often spent time with them and her other family members. According to reports, Ieasha was last seen by her loved ones on September 25th, 2017. After that, nobody in her family saw or heard from her again.

Days later, on October 4th, 2017, local Crime Stoppers received a call about a body in a wooded area behind Abrams' apartment building. K-9s were brought to the scene, and a body of a deceased female was found behind a dumpster. Shortly thereafter, the body was identified as that of Ieasha Abrams. 

Ieasha's manner of death was initially unclassified for over a month. Then, the coroner finally labeled her death as a homicide. The coroner's findings determined that Ieasha "had been assaulted in a manner that could not have resulted in a death by natural causes." Police have still not disclosed the exact cause of death, but it's clear that Ieasha's life was brutally taken.

Years have passed, and Ieasha's murder still remains unsolved. In February 2018, it was reported that detectives were "close to cracking the case", but they have still yet to make an arrest. Ieasha's loved ones are still hoping to find justice. If you have any information that could lead to the arrest of her killer(s), please contact detectives at (205) 254-1764.
-
Sources:
AL.com
Uncovered
WBRC

The Disappearance and Murder of Brandon Herring

image source: NBC News.com

Brandon Herring had a lot to look forward to during November of 2016. The then-21-year-old was engaged to a woman he loved, and his fiancé was just days away from giving birth to the couple's first child. Brandon was looking forward to becoming both a father and a husband. Unfortunately, he would never get a chance to do either - as he vanished on November 22nd, 2016. Two months later, Brandon was found deceased. He had been shot to death.

Prior to vanishing, Brandon lived in Raytown, Missouri with his mother and siblings. According to his mother, nothing initially seemed unusual about Brandon's behavior on the day of his disappearance. Then, at some point, Brandon's mother attempted to call him only to find his phone had been shut off. This was an immediate red flag, as Brandon had purposely been keeping his phone on and charged in anticipation of his fiancé going into labor. 

Brandon was later reported missing by family members after he did not return home. His family then began canvassing their neighborhood and passing out missing persons fliers. Eventually, Brandon's family spoke to someone who said that they saw him sitting on the steps of the Park Meadows Apartment complex on November 24th - two days after he was last seen. His family members subsequently went to the apartment complex, where they found several shell casings and a unit with a window that had been shot out. Police reportedly collected evidence from that area, but did not find or speak to anyone inside the unit.

In January of 2017, volunteers searched in Kansas City for Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions - two girls who had gone missing from the area in 2007 and 2016 respectively. During the search, a body was spotted in a creek at Swope Park. Days later, the body was identified as that of Brandon Herring. An autopsy determined he died from gunshot wounds. His death was subsequently labeled a homicide.

Years have passed, and Brandon's murder remains unsolved. No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly named. It also is unclear if the shell casings or shot out window unit at the apartment complex were ever positively linked to Brandon's case. Very few details about the investigation have been provided.

Brandon's family has vowed to never give up on the fight for justice. There is monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to Brandon's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please call 816-474-TIPS.

-
Sources:
Kansas City PD
KCTV
KMBC
NBC News, 2

The Murder of Tristyn Bailey

 

Tristyn Bailey was brutally murdered during the early morning hours of May 9th, 2021. The young girl was only 13-years-old. Shortly after her body was found, a 14-year-old named Aiden Fucci was charged as an adult with Tristyn's murder in the first degree.

Tristyn was a 7th grader at a Patriot Oaks Academy in St. Augustine, Florida. She was a cheerleader and beloved member of the community. While it does not appear that Tristyn and Aiden Fucci ran in the same social circles, they still knew each other. Aiden also attended Patriot Oaks Academy, and he and Tristyn lived in the same neighborhood in St. Johns County. 

On the morning of May 9th, Tristyn's family members awoke and quickly realized that Tristyn was not anywhere inside the house. By 10 AM, Tristyn's parents called 911 to report her missing. Her parents told the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office that they had last seen her around midnight. However, after speaking with various other teens in the neighborhood, the Sheriff's Office learned that Tristyn was seen around 1:15 AM at the Durbin Amenity Center--which is within walking distance from her house.

Investigators looked at surveillance cameras in the neighborhood, and ultimately found footage of two people matching the descriptions of Tristyn Bailey and Aiden Fucci walking together on Saddlestone Drive at 1:45 AM. Around 3:30 AM, the same surveillance camera captured only one person - presumably Aiden - walking back in the other direction. 

A search for Tristyn in the surrounding area was conducted. Around 6 PM, a searcher found a body in a wooded area near a retention pond, located just east of Saddlestone Drive. Shortly thereafter, the body was identified as that of Tristyn Bailey. She had been stabbed numerous times. 

Investigators questioned Aiden Fucci very early into the investigation. He reportedly made many conflicting statements. At some point, Aiden was into the back of a police car. While in the vehicle, he posted a selfie to Snapchat with the caption, "Hey guys has inybody (sic) seen Tristyn lately." It's unclear if this selfie was taken before or after his arrest. Aiden was finally arrested around 3:30 AM on May 10th, after police found various items and pieces of clothing covered in blood in his bedroom. 

Members of the community were shocked not only by Tristyn's violent death, but also by the fact that another child in the community was being charged with her murder. Many were also shocked by Aiden's seemingly insensitive Snapchat that he posted regarding Tristyn's disappearance. In the days and weeks that followed Aiden's arrest, many more appalling details about the case were revealed.

--Continued from Tumblr post:

Aiden was initially charged with second-degree murder. Following his arrest, many social media posts surfaced from other teens who claimed to be involved in the crime. These posts also seemingly supported Aiden and contained disparaging messages about Tristyn. Investigators looked into these Instagram posts and accounts, but have maintained that Aiden was the only one who participated in the act of murdering Tristyn. 

Weeks later his arrest, Aiden's charges were upgraded to first-degree murder. At this time, prosecutors decided to try Aiden as an adult as well.  It was then revealed that Aiden's friends had told investigators that Aiden has expressed that he wanted to kill someone. While he did not name Tristyn or any other specific target, Aiden did reportedly tell friends that he wanted to kill someone by bringing them into the woods and stabbing them. It appears that Aiden did exactly this to Tristyn. The stabbing was also particularly brutal. Tristyn had been stabbed over 114 times. 49 of her wounds were defensive wounds--indicating that she had fought for her life. 

While Aiden has not confessed to stabbing Tristyn, he did reportedly admit that he was with her on the night of her murder. He reportedly told police that he and Tristyn left a mutual friend's house together and got into an argument shortly thereafter. Aiden also admitted that he shoved her to the ground. Since he has already made numerous conflicting statements, it is unclear if investigators believe this version of events--however they are certain that he is Tristyn's killer. 

In early June 2021, Aiden's mother Crystal Lane Smith was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence in this case. She's accused of scrubbing the jeans Aiden wore on the night of Tristyn's murder in their sink. Forensic testing on the sink revealed that there were traces of blood in the drain. Crystal has been released on bail, however Aiden remains in custody. Their charges are pending. 

UPDATE (March 2023): 

In February of 2023, Aiden Fucci pleaded guilty to the murder of Tristyn Bailey.

Aiden’s trial was due to begin on February 6th, but he ultimately decided to enter a plea of guilty – voiding the need for a trial altogether. There was reportedly not a plea deal made with the prosecution.

After pleading guilty, Aiden made a statement of apology to the Bailey family. In March of 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison.

The Disappearance of Alexis Ware

source: Instagram

Alexis Ware has been missing since January 30th, 2022. The then-29-year-old woman was last seen at a 7-Eleven gas station in Anderson, South Carolina. Alexis went to the gas station around 7:30 PM so she could hand off her children with her son's father, TJ Patterson. Surveillance footage confirmed that Alexis and TJ left the gas station in separate cars. Alexis never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Prior to vanishing, Alexis and her children spent the weekend at her mother's house, located approximately 80 miles away from her own home in Greenville, South Carolina. While there, Alexis reportedly told her mother some troubling things. She mentioned that someone had been calling her incessantly, despite repeatedly blocking this person's number. Alexis seemed afraid of this person, but she did not reveal their identity. Alexis also told her mother she feared that she would not make it to her 30th birthday, which was just two months away. Her mother questioned why she felt that way, but Alexis would not say anything more about the matter.

Alexis returned to her home in Greenville on Sunday afternoon. Later, she drove 40 miles to Anderson so she could meet up with TJ and drop off the children. TJ later told police that Alexis planned to follow him to his mother's house. The surveillance footage shows Alexis' car following TJ's out of the gas station, but then she abruptly sped up and drove away. TJ tried calling her, but she did not answer the phone. After that, Alexis seemingly vanished into thin air. 

On February 2nd, 2022, Alexis' car was found abandoned in McCormick, South Carolina - located approximately 70 miles away from Anderson. Alexis' phone, keys, and wallet were found inside the vehicle. The hair bonnet that she was wearing before she vanished was found on the ground next to the car. Alexis' family members stated that they cannot think of any reason for her to travel to this location.

Throughout the investigation, it was revealed that Alexis' phone pinged one final time at 8:15 PM. Highway surveillance cameras captured her car driving through Augusta, Georgia and then later returning to South Carolina. These appear to be the last known sightings of her car before it was found in McCormick.

No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly named in the case. TJ Patterson was investigated, and police do not believe that he was involved in Alexis' disappearance. Several searches have been conducted, but unfortunately no further sign of Alexis has been found. 

Anyone with information that could lead to Alexis' whereabouts is asked to contact authorities at 864-260-4405 or submit a tip through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

-
Sources:
Charley Project
Crime Online
Oxygen
WYFF, 2

The Disappearance of Lopaz Richardson

image source: 'Help Bring Lopaz Home' on Facebook

Lopaz Richardson has been missing since July of 2021. The then-32-year-old lived in Rosenberg, Texas at the time of his disappearance. Lopaz vanished under incredibly suspicious circumstances, and the mystery of what happened to him still remains unsolved.

The last time any of Lopaz's loved ones saw him was on July 5th, 2021. That evening, Lopaz dropped his daughter off at her mother's home in Spring, Texas. Two days later, Lopaz spoke with relatives on the phone. After that, he seemingly vanished into thin air. He has never been seen or heard from again. 

Lopaz's ex-wife reported him missing on July 8th. She was immediately concerned about his safety, as he had made some troubling statements before his disappearance. Lopaz reportedly told his ex-wife that someone was after him; he "disrespected the wrong person" and would not have a chance to apologize.

The day after Lopaz was reported missing, police in Howe, Texas were notified about a white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck that was spotted in a ravine near some train tracks. Days later, it was confirmed that the car was registered to Lopaz. It seemed odd that Lopaz's vehicle would be found in Howe - as it is an approximate 5-hour drive away from his home in Rosenberg. His loved ones are unable to think of any reason for him to travel to that location. It also seemed unlikely that Lopaz would voluntarily abandon his car in such a spot. 

Despite all of this, Lopaz's ex-wife said she was told by police that there was no evidence of foul play at the scene, nor were any items of interest found inside the truck. However, inventory was not taken on the truck until over a month later. It was then discovered that many items were inside the car - including a digital camera, a GoPro camera, and Lopaz's wallet, which contained his driver's license and credit card. Additionally, a more thorough search of the scene where the car was found turned up a pair of Lopaz's shoes - which had been stuck in the mud.

These findings appear to be the last known physical trace of Lopaz. Even so, it's unclear if Lopaz himself is the one who drove his truck to that location. There are many unanswered questions regarding his disappearance as well. To this day, no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly announced. However, there were several things going on in Lopaz's life that have led to a few theories. 

-

What happened to Lopaz?

As previously noted, Lopaz had made some troubling comments to his ex-wife prior to his disappearance. More specifically, his ex-wife said that he told her, “I got involved with the wrong people. I got into this for business. I disrespected the wrong person and I can’t get a chance to apologize.”

If these statements from Lopaz are true, it seems plausible that these "wrong people" are involved in his disappearance. But who are they, and how did Lopaz get involved with them? A look into his life around the time of his disappearance may hold the answers.

A father, an author, and a business owner.

By all accounts, it appears that Lopaz was a well-rounded individual. He was co-parenting with his ex-wife and enjoyed being a father. Although Lopaz and his ex-wife were no longer together, they seemingly still got along and spoke to each other frequently. 

Lopaz's ex-wife describes him as an ambitious person. In 2019, he published his own novel titled "HellBint". Lopaz also opened a tattoo shop in Rosenberg called Dear Life Tattoos. 

Lopaz's shop was reportedly doing well during 2021. Prior to his disappearance, Lopaz was in the process of doing minor updates and he had also just updated his inventory. 

AllSports Riders MC.

Lopaz was also a member of a motorcycle club called AllSports Riders MC. He grew close with his fellow members and referred to them as brothers - which is common amongst biker gangs. There's no direct evidence that Lopaz was fearful of anyone in the club prior to his disappearance - but there are some aspects that are worth looking into. This will be addressed again in more in-depth below.

Before delving into more with the motorcycle club or any other potential theories, it's important to take a look at some other events surrounding Lopaz's disappearance.

July 5th - July 7th, 2021.

As mentioned before, Lopaz was last seen by his loved ones on July 5th, 2021 - after he dropped off his daughter back at her mother/his ex-wife's house. Then, on July 7th, Lopaz spoke with his relatives on the phone for the last time. Amongst those phone calls was a call to his ex-wife and their daughter. During that conversation, Lopaz apologized to his daughter but was otherwise vague. 

It's unclear what, exactly, he was apologizing about, but his ex-wife believes it was in conjunction with Lopaz's previous comments that he had disrespected the wrong person.

July 8th, 2021.

It appears that Lopaz fell completely out-of-touch by July 8th. His ex-wife reported him missing that same day. Meanwhile, both investigators and loved ones later learned that Lopaz's debit card was used at a R&R truck stop in Henryetta, Oklahoma that day. Henryetta is an approximate 7-hour drive away from Lopaz's home in Rosenberg, and it is an approximate 2-hour drive away from the location where his car was found in Howe.

Investigators have yet to reveal what, exactly, was charged to Lopaz's credit card at the truck stop. Investigators also said that they reviewed surveillance footage of the truck stop and did not spot Lopaz at any point on July 8th. So, the question still remains: who used Lopaz's credit card, and why?

July 9th, 2021.

Lopaz's car was found in a ravine in Howe near the train tracks shortly before 1:00 PM. At the time, authorities in Howe were unaware that the truck was registered to a missing person from Rosenberg.

image source: 'Help Bring Lopaz Home' on Facebook

The vehicle being found in this location is odd for several reasons. For starters, it appears that some sort of accident occurred for it to get stuck in the ravine. Additionally, as previously mentioned, the car was found approximately 5 hours away from Rosenberg. It is unknown if Lopaz had any reason to travel there; and it's also unknown if Lopaz himself is the one who drove the car to that spot. 

Since Lopaz's credit card was used in Henryetta just a day earlier, it's easy to speculate that whoever drove the truck to Howe was also the person who used the credit card. However, this has yet to be confirmed.

July 13th - July 16th, 2021.

On July 13th, authorities confirmed that the truck was, in fact, registered to Lopaz. It was determined that a tow truck would need to drive over the train tracks to retrieve the vehicle. Over the next few days, law enforcement contacted several different agencies to assist with the removal of the vehicle. Since it was found near the train tracks, authorities had to reach out to the Dallas-Garland Railroad company - as they owned the tracks in that location. The company declined to assist.

On July 16th, a towing company called Texoma Auto Care was brought to the scene. Once again, the track inspector from Dallas-Garland declined to give consent for the towing company to drive over the train tracks and tow the vehicle.

July 16th - August 11th, 2021: The truck remains in place.

Police did not receive consent to access the truck via railroad tracks. As such, Lopaz's truck remained stuck in that spot until August 11th, 2021. That day, authorities contacted a property owner adjacent to the railroad tracks. The property owner finally granted consent for the truck to be removed. Texoma Auto Care then returned to the scene and towed the truck to their auto shop. 

In total, the car sat there for 35 days - a whole month after it was first spotted. This left plenty of time for the scene of the crash to be disturbed by weather, wildlife, and even other people. In fact, Lopaz's ex-wife stated that members from Lopaz's motorcycle club visited the scene of the crash on August 7th. It's unclear how Lopaz's ex-wife learned about this, but it was definitely a cause for concern. 

Inventory on the truck.

Lopaz's truck was finally analyzed in-depth after it was taken to the auto shop. While Lopaz's ex-wife was originally told that nothing significant was found in the car, she later learned that was false when it was revealed that several items were found. As previously mentioned, Lopaz's wallet, GoPro camera, and digital camera were all found inside the truck. The memory cards in both the GoPro and the digital camera had been wiped completely clean.

Lopaz's ex-wife stated that she went to Howe to take a look at the car herself, and she noticed that one of Lopaz's two cell phones was inside the vehicle as well. According to his ex-wife, the cell phone wasn't wiped completely clean, but it was noted that several texts, calls, pictures, and videos had been deleted. It appears that Lopaz's other cell phone was never found. 

A pair of Lopaz's sneakers were found in the mud near the vehicle as well. It is unknown if they were planted there or not.

It also seems quite odd that police initially told Lopaz's ex-wife that there was no sign of foul play - even after the car was discovered abandoned. The police also told her that no items of interest were in the car, however it appears that they said that before they were able to fully process the vehicle. 

Theories.

As of today, no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly announced in Lopaz's case. The odd circumstances surrounding his disappearance have led to a few different theories. 

Let's take a look at some of the happenings that could play a role:

Lopaz's statement that someone was "after him". Lopaz told his ex-wife that he had disrespected the wrong person and would not have a chance to apologize. He also mentioned that he got involved with this person "for business". It's unclear exactly what business he was talking about. 

Had he gotten involved in a side business that was potentially dangerous? Or is he referring to his tattoo business? Did he owe money to someone? All of these questions remain unanswered for now, but it's possible that these questions are the key to solving Lopaz's disappearance.

The motorcycle club. Lopaz was a dedicated member of the AllSports Riders MC. It's unknown if the biker gang plays a role in his disappearance, but it's certainly a possibility. Lopaz's ex-wife mentioned that two members of the biker gang traveled to Howe on August 7th - while Lopaz's car was still stuck in the ravine. She did not elaborate on why, exactly, they went to the scene, but they could have planted evidence, removed evidence, or contaminated the area. 

The fact that two members of the biker gang visited the scene is not entirely suspicious on its own - as it's possible that they were just curious about Lopaz's disappearance and wanted to see if they could find any evidence of their own. However, Lopaz's ex-wife told reporters of two other incidents with members of the motorcycle club that raise some suspicions. 

One such event occurred on July 3rd, 2021 - just days before Lopaz's disappearance. That day, Lopaz held an event at his tattoo shop, and several members of the motorcycle club attended. At some point during the gathering, a member of the club called Lopaz's ex-wife and said that Lopaz had kicked him out of the event. There is very little other information about this incident - but it seems noteworthy since it happened very shortly before Lopaz vanished. 

The other incidents involve a few members of the motorcycle club breaking into Lopaz's apartment. The exact dates of these occurrences are unknown, but according to Lopaz's ex-wife, it happened twice, and they were caught on camera each time. The members of the club took their own bikes and Lopaz's bike from his apartment. Lopaz was reportedly fixing/making additions to their bikes, which is why he had them at his residence. 

After the members of the club broke into the apartment, they reportedly told Lopaz's ex-wife that they took his bike and would give it back to him when he returned. It's unknown if anything else of interest was taken from the apartment. Nobody ever faced any charges for breaking in.

Nobody in the motorcycle club has ever been labeled as a suspect.

The debit card usage.  As noted before, Lopaz's debit card was used in Henryetta, Oklahoma on July 8th. Who, exactly, used the card is unknown but the police said that they did not see any surveillance footage of Lopaz at the truck stop where it was used.

Again, this on its own is not incredibly suspicious, as debit card theft is not uncommon. However, the fact that it happened after Lopaz's disappearance makes it seem far more sinister. The location in which it was used is odd as well - as it's hours away from where Lopaz was last seen and where his car was found.

Where the case stands today.

Lopaz remains missing today. His loved ones have not given up hope in finding answers. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Rosenberg Police at 832-595-3700.

-

Sources:
Charley Project
Fox 7 Austin
Help Bring Lopaz Home
Medium