In the summer of 2009, a young man's journey took an uncertain turn, leaving his family with unanswered questions that have lingered for years. On July 22, 2009, 22-year-old Jose Joaquin Mendoza Valenzuela, a male of Hispanic and Caucasian descent, was last seen in the vicinity of Lukeville, Arizona, a small community on the U.S.-Mexico border.
His last known movements were in the arid and often perilous landscape that stretches between Lukeville, Sonoita, Arizona, and San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. Jose, who also went by the name Jesús Joaquín Gutiérrez Valenzuela, was reportedly in the process of crossing the border when he vanished, creating a void of information for those who knew him.
At the time of his disappearance, Jose stood between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a weight ranging from 165 to 185 pounds. He had black hair and brown eyes. His family was able to provide a detailed description of several distinguishing physical features that made him unique. He had a history of spraining both of his big toes from playing soccer. More noticeably, he had a teardrop-shaped mole on the left side of his mouth and a horizontal scar on the right side. Other scars included one behind his head, a vertical scar on the right side of his neck, and a cut behind his right ear. He also had a mole or birthmark the size of a five-cent coin on his right hip.
When he was last seen, Jose was wearing a long-sleeved, dark blue denim shirt from the brand Flexing Date over a red, extra-large shirt with a white collar. He had on beige Fubu brand pants in a size 32, with black undershorts and white socks. For footwear, he wore either white or brown shoes with dark brown laces, from the brand Ferrato. He was also wearing a red cap with a navy visor. The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office is the investigating agency in his case, holding the file for a young man who disappeared while reportedly trying to cross the border. The circumstances surrounding his case remain unclear, and his disappearance has left a painful and unresolved chapter in the lives of his loved ones. The overview of his case paints a picture of a young man who vanished in a region known for its harsh conditions, his last known attire and distinct features being the primary clues in the ongoing effort to discover what happened to him.Last Seen: Jul 22, 2009
