Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP22243)
In the vast and often unforgiving landscape of the Arizona desert, the story of a man's disappearance began to unfold around June 23, 2013. Julio Encinas Grivalva, a 51-year-old Hispanic male, was last seen in the border town of Lukeville, Arizona, a place that serves as a gateway between two countries. He was not alone when he was last seen; he had embarked on a journey with two other individuals. Their intended path was to cross the border at Sonoyta/Lukeville.
The specific route they planned to take remains uncertain, though there is a suggestion that they may have attempted a crossing near an area known as Camino de la Tortuga. His journey began with companions, but where it led remains a painful mystery for those he left behind.
Julio was a man with distinct features that set him apart. Standing between 5 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing between 165 and 175 pounds, he had a noticeable presence. His hair was gray or partially gray, kept short and combed back, and he wore a mustache. His eyes were a warm brown. Beyond these general descriptors were the unique marks that told a more personal story. On his leg, he had a birthmark, about eight to nine inches long, that resembled a burn. His body was also adorned with tattoos; on the inside of his left forearm was a cross with two stars on a ribbon that read 'LETY,' and his left shoulder bore a tattoo of a ribbon with other lettering. He was possibly wearing white Nike shoes with a blue emblem or perhaps yellow steel-toe work boots. Inside his wallet, he carried a cherished photograph of two young children, a boy of about three or four and a girl aged five or six, a small but powerful reminder of the life he lived and the people he loved.
The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office is the investigating agency in charge of Julio's case. The circumstances of his disappearance are sparse, centering on the fact that he was last seen with two companions with the intent of crossing the border. What happened to him and the individuals he was traveling with after they were last seen near Lukeville is unknown. The case is a quiet but persistent echo in the files of the missing, a story of a man with a family, distinguished by the tattoos on his skin and the photo in his wallet, who vanished while on a journey with others. For his loved ones, the lack of answers leaves a void, a story without an ending, centered on a man who seemingly disappeared into the harsh terrain of the borderlands.Last Seen: Jun 23, 2013
