Account
Mar 23, 2011
Oct 17, 2022
Marizela
Perez
32
18
65 inches
110 lbs
Asian
Female
On March 5, 2011, Marizela Perez, an 18-year-old female, disappeared from Seattle, Washington. A freshman at the University of Washington, Marizela left the home she shared with her aunt and uncle in the Rainier Beach neighborhood, intending to travel to the university campus. She was seen boarding a train into the University District around noon. The last confirmed sighting of Marizela was captured by surveillance cameras between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. at a Safeway store on Brooklyn Avenue Northeast. Inside the store, she purchased a seemingly odd combination of items: orange juice, trash bags, Tylenol, and over-the-counter sleeping pills. After leaving the Safeway, she was seen walking north, and then she vanished. The last known activity from her cell phone was a text message she received at 2:45 p.m.; shortly after, the phone was turned off and has never been found. At the time she went missing, Marizela was described as an Asian female, standing 5'5" and weighing 110 pounds. She had an asymmetrical bob haircut with brown and red highlights and short bangs and may have been wearing green-tinted contact lenses. A distinctive tattoo on the inside of her left arm reads "lahat ay magiging maayos," a Tagalog phrase meaning "all will be well." She was last seen wearing a dark hooded jacket over a light-colored hooded sweater, denim jeans, and light brown suede laced boots. Marizela was carrying a denim drawstring backpack with a rainbow-colored butterfly design, which held her Macbook Pro laptop and possibly an iPod Touch. Her family described her as a goofy, cheerful, and creative young woman who was a dedicated student. However, she also had a history of depression, for which she was taking medication, and had recently gone through a difficult breakup with a boyfriend. The disappearance of Marizela, an only child deeply cherished by her family, prompted an immediate and desperate search. Her family, including her parents who lived across the country in New Jersey, quickly mobilized, hanging posters and working to raise public awareness. Her cousin, conservative columnist Michelle Malkin, used her public platform to bring national attention to the case. The Seattle Police Department opened an investigation, but with no initial signs of foul play, their ability to access her personal email and phone records was limited. This became a point of frustration for the family, especially when activity was reportedly detected on her instant messenger account two weeks after she vanished. A private investigator hired by the family suggested the possibility that Marizela had taken her own life, a conclusion her parents found difficult to accept, pointing to her seemingly happy demeanor in the days leading up to her disappearance. Despite extensive searches by her family and volunteers, no trace of Marizela or her belongings has ever been found. The case grew cold over the years, leaving her loved ones in a painful state of uncertainty. The investigation into Marizela Perez's disappearance has been marked by a lack of evidence and few leads. While theories range from a voluntary disappearance to foul play, the most prevalent theory, given her history of depression and the items she purchased on the day she was last seen, is that she may have harmed herself. However, without any definitive proof, her case remains an unsolved and deeply felt missing persons case.
Mar 05, 2011
Seattle
Washington
King County
Seattle
No
21402
Seattle Police Department
Seattle
Washington
King County
98104
David Ogard
Detective
610 5th Avenue, Washington
2066255011
Local
Law Enforcement
11-75111
2011-03-06
Seattle Police Department
Brown
Green
Green
06/28/2026
