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

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP16857) and 2 other sources
In the late summer of 2011, a family began a long and uncertain wait for answers. Martin Antonio Valenzuela Apodaca, then 27 years old, was last seen on August 10, 2011, in Yuma, Arizona. A Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes, he stood at 5 feet 10 inches and weighed around 176 pounds. The circumstances reported at the time of his disappearance were that he was last known to be crossing the U.S.-Mexico border near the Yuma area. Since that day, his whereabouts have remained a mystery, leaving a void in the lives of those who know him.

Distinctive tattoos mark Martin's body, physical characteristics that his family hoped would help in identifying him. One tattoo, at an unknown location, is of a cross with a ribbon, surmounted by a crown. Another, on his leg, depicts two hands joined in prayer, holding a rosary. Details about the clothing he was wearing or any personal items he might have had with him at the time he went missing are not publicly known, adding to the difficulty of the search. The official report of his disappearance was filed on October 10, 2011, two months after he was last seen, with the Pima County Medical Examiner's office handling the case.

For more than a decade, the case of Martin Valenzuela Apodaca's disappearance has remained unresolved. The passage of years has not diminished his family's hope for closure. The investigation into his disappearance is complicated by the last known circumstances involving a border crossing, an element that often introduces significant challenges for law enforcement agencies. The overview of this case is one of profound uncertainty and lingering questions. With no new information or leads surfacing, it remains an active missing person case, a silent testament to a life interrupted and a family left waiting for any piece of information that might bring him home or provide them with peace.

Last Seen: Aug 10, 2011

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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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.

78%Possible
John Doe — San Ysidro, California
UP89850 • Found Jan 29, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 67%141 mi away
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%190 lb vs 176 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 90%Black vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Ocotillo, California - unidentified case UP12337
John Doe — Ocotillo, California
UP12337 • Found Sep 12, 2011
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 27
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 81%80 mi away
TimingFound 5 weeks after last seen
Height 84%5'8" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — San Diego, California - unidentified case UP54015
John Doe — San Diego, California
UP54015 • Found Mar 10, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 67%141 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%160–170 lb vs 176 lb
77%Possible
John Doe — Niland, California - unidentified case UP10634
John Doe — Niland, California
UP10634 • Found Sep 14, 2012
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 83%Est. 30–50 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 85%64 mi away
TimingFound 13 months after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
77%Possible
John Doe — Compton, California
UP10299 • Found Dec 26, 2011
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–28 vs 27
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 53%223 mi away
TimingFound 5 months after last seen
Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%163 lb vs 176 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Yuma, Arizona - unidentified case UP95028
John Doe — Yuma, Arizona
UP95028 • Found Jul 27, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 11 years after last seen
Height 68%5'7" vs 5'10"
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
76%Possible
John Doe — Calexico, California - unidentified case UP14740
John Doe — Calexico, California
UP14740 • Found Jul 28, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 20–40 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 89%51 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 52%5'6" vs 5'10"
Weight 100%170 lb vs 176 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
76%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 27
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 71%118 mi away, same state
TimingFound 11 months after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'10"
Weight 71%133 lb vs 176 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — west of Ajo, Arizona - unidentified case UP69109
John Doe — west of Ajo, Arizona
UP69109 • Found Nov 30, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 74%105 mi away, same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'10"
75%Possible
John Doe — Gila Bend, Arizona
UP57940 • Found Apr 20, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 27–37 vs 27 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 73%112 mi away, same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6"–5'10" 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.