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Cesar Ortiz Missing Person Case

Last seen in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oct 1, 1994

Victim Details

Jul 29, 2010

Apr 27, 2018

Cesar

Ortiz

63

31

66 inches

67 inches

165 lbs

170 lbs

Hispanic / Latino

Male

Oct 1, 1994

Las Vegas

Nevada

Clark County

8838

SB Co. Sheriff Department - Coroner Division

San Bernardino

California

,

08-9402653

SB Co. Sheriff Department - Coroner Division

Brown

Brown

Brown

No

Oct 11, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP7778) and 5 other sources
In the autumn of 1994, 31-year-old Cesar A. Ortiz vanished from Las Vegas, Nevada, leaving behind a life and a family who still seek answers. The last known contact with Cesar was on October 1st of that year. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes, standing between 5'6' and 5'7' tall and weighing approximately 165 to 170 pounds. He was potentially driving a white 1994 Toyota Celica with the Nevada license plate number 113E8W. His last known address was in Las Vegas, though he also had family in Toreon Coahuila, Mexico.

The circumstances surrounding Cesar's disappearance are intertwined with the tragic fate of his girlfriend, Isis Copado. Both were reported missing on the same day. A little over a week later, on October 9, 1994, Copado's body was discovered along Interstate 15 near Baker, California. Due to the condition of her remains, a cause of death could not be determined, and there were no obvious signs of trauma. There was no trace of Cesar at the scene, and his vehicle has never been located.

The investigation into Cesar Ortiz's disappearance remains open, now handled by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in California. Over the years, authorities have lost contact with his relatives and have expressed a desire to reconnect with them to aid in the ongoing investigation. The central question in this cold case remains whether Cesar was a party to what happened to his girlfriend or if he too met with foul play. Without any further evidence or leads, the fate of Cesar A. Ortiz and the full story of what transpired in October 1994 remain an unsolved mystery.
Last Seen: Oct 1, 1994

Links to Additional Sources (5)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • Cesar A. Ortiz - The Charley Project
  • Sex Offender Detail - ortiz, cesar a - Illinois State Police
  • Unsolved Homicide - Cesar Yanez-Ortiz - Durham, NC
  • Cesar Ortiz Tinoco, U.N. Official, 75 - The New York Times

    • 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.

    83%Moderate
    John Doe — North Las Vegas, Nevada
    UP274 • Found Aug 11, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 31
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 100%7 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 10 months after last seen
    Height 68%5'3" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 78%130 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    79%Possible
    John Doe — Henderson, Nevada
    UP266 • Found Apr 5, 1996
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 31 when missing
    Race 60%White
    Location 98%18 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 18 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP3551
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP3551 • Found Feb 4, 1996
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 52%229 mi away
    TimingFound 16 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 100%156 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP3582
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP3582 • Found Oct 7, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 22–32 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 52%226 mi away
    TimingFound 12 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 100%175 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Pine Valley, California
    UP58362 • Found Mar 28, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 31
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 51%245 mi away
    TimingFound 6 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 88%138 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Imperial Beach, California
    UP58166 • Found Mar 13, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 31
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 48%272 mi away
    TimingFound 5 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 100%172 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada - unidentified case UP288
    John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
    UP288 • Found Apr 7, 2006
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 31 when missing
    Race 60%White
    Location 100%3 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 12 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 87%137 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Henderson, Nevada
    UP259 • Found Sep 12, 1996
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 45%Est. 40–50 vs 31 when missing
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 99%12 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 23 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 65%120 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP3603
    John Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP3603 • Found Jun 10, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 30–50 vs 31
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 52%228 mi away
    TimingFound 8 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 100%177 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    75%Possible
    John Doe — San Diego, California
    UP116225 • Found Apr 4, 1995
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 88%Est. 20–30 vs 31
    Race 100%Hispanic
    Location 48%267 mi away
    TimingFound 6 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'6"–5'7"
    Weight 94%143 lb vs 165–170 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 90%Black vs Brown

    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.

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    Forum Posts (3)

    Does anyone else find it puzzling that neither Cesar Ortiz's family nor law enforcement seemed to... ...Read More
    11/21/2023
    Has anyone else looked into the background of that specific stretch along Interstate 15 where Isis... ...Read More
    07/19/2023
    The car is such a key detail here. It's unsettling that the white 1994 Toyota Celica Ortiz was... ...Read More
    03/15/2023

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