In the summer of 2009, a family was forever changed when 40-year-old Miguel Angel Zavaleta Perez vanished. On August 8, 2009, Miguel was last known to be in the vicinity of Altar, a town in Sonora, Mexico, with the intention of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. His intended destination is believed to have been the area of Tucson, Arizona, in Pima County.
At the time he went missing, he was described as a Hispanic male, standing between 5'4' and 5'6' tall and weighing between 190 and 210 pounds. The color of his hair and eyes were unknown, making identification more challenging for authorities.
Miguel has several distinct physical characteristics that his loved ones hoped would help in locating him. He has a round, fleshy mole near the corner of his mouth by his lower lip. Additionally, a chickenpox scar marks the left side of his chin, and a more prominent scar from a machete cut is on his left hand. These permanent marks serve as silent testimony to a life lived, a life that was abruptly put on hold. The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office opened a case for him on October 8, 2009, two months after he was last seen, as the search for answers began.
The circumstances surrounding Miguel's disappearance are fraught with the inherent dangers of crossing the border in a remote and often unforgiving desert environment. The area is known for its harsh conditions, and many who attempt the journey face perilous risks. For the family of Miguel Zavaleta Perez, the days, months, and years since his disappearance have been filled with uncertainty and anguish. With no new information available, his case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for those who knew and loved him, a testament to the ambiguous loss that so many families of the missing endure.Last Seen: Aug 8, 2009
