Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP16930) and 1 other source
In the vast and often perilous landscape of the Arizona-Mexico border, the story of Marco Noe Santillan Lopez is one of many that ends with a question mark. At 28 years old, he was last seen on September 8, 2011, in Nogales, Arizona, a bustling border town that serves as a gateway between two nations. On that day, Marco, a Hispanic male with black hair and dark brown eyes, was reportedly attempting to cross the border from the United States into Mexico. What should have been a routine passage became the last known moment of his whereabouts, leaving a void of information and a family waiting for answers. His case is a somber reminder of the countless individuals who vanish in the complex and often unforgiving environment of international borders.

Details surrounding Marco's disappearance are sparse, painting a fragmented picture of his last known activities. Standing at 5 feet 10 inches and weighing between 135 and 155 pounds, he was known to go by the nickname 'Puma.' He had several distinguishing tattoos: the name 'Imanol' on his left arm and rings tattooed on his fingers. He also had a small scar on his right hand and both of his ears were pierced. When he was last seen, it is known that he was carrying a piece of paper with a phone number on it. The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office is the investigating agency for his case, a detail that underscores the serious nature of his disappearance from the very beginning. Despite the passage of time, his case remains open, a silent testament to a life interrupted.

The narrative of Marco Santillan Lopez's disappearance is one of ambiguity and unanswered questions. The lack of public information regarding any investigation that may have followed his last sighting near the Nogales border crossing leaves his family and community in a state of perpetual uncertainty. His case is an overview of the heart-wrenching reality faced by many families whose loved ones go missing in the border region, a place where the convergence of cultures and the constant flow of people can sometimes obscure the stories of individuals. The absence of closure in Marco's case highlights the profound and lasting impact of a person's disappearance, a story without an ending that continues to resonate with those who knew him and the wider community concerned with the silent crisis of the missing.

Last Seen: Sep 8, 2011

Links to Additional Sources (1)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP12302
John Doe — Arizona
UP12302 • Found Feb 20, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–33 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 85%66 mi away, same state
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
78%Possible
John Doe — Arizona
UP15183 • Found Dec 31, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 23–30 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 85%66 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
78%Possible
John Doe — Sells, Arizona - unidentified case UP14951
John Doe — Sells, Arizona
UP14951 • Found Aug 20, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–40 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 84%68 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
78%Possible
John Doe — Gunsight Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP11275
John Doe — Gunsight Village, Arizona
UP11275 • Found Jul 1, 2012
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 23–40 vs 28
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 71%119 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 months after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%133 lb vs 135–155 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
78%Possible
John Doe — Kino Springs, Arizona - unidentified case UP131896
John Doe — Kino Springs, Arizona
UP131896 • Found Jun 26, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–38 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 100%8 mi away, same county
TimingFound 13 years after last seen
Height 84%5'4"–5'8" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — Hereford, Arizona - unidentified case UP94000
John Doe — Hereford, Arizona
UP94000 • Found Nov 11, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–40 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 89%50 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — near Queen's Well, Arizona - unidentified case UP54498
John Doe — near Queen's Well, Arizona
UP54498 • Found Jan 2, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 29–36 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 82%76 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — west of Sells, Arizona - unidentified case UP54646
John Doe — west of Sells, Arizona
UP54646 • Found Nov 17, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 84%68 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10"–6'2" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP14499
John Doe — Arizona
UP14499 • Found Jun 30, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–32 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 85%66 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 68%5'7" vs 5'10"
Hair 100%Black vs Black
77%Possible
John Doe — Eloy, Arizona - unidentified case UP12827
John Doe — Eloy, Arizona
UP12827 • Found Mar 30, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 19–29 vs 28 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 74%104 mi away, same state
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.