On a December evening in 1993, 34-year-old Manuel Gil Martinez, known to his loved ones as Pettie, was at a party in Phoenix, Arizona. At approximately 9:00 p.m. on December 11th, he was seen leaving the gathering, which was located near 3rd Avenue and Piedmont. He departed with another individual in a white car, driving off into the night. Manuel was a Hispanic male, standing between 5'8' and 5'10' and weighing around 167 to 177 pounds.
He had a shaved head with brown hair, brown eyes, and a brown mustache and beard. He was last seen wearing a blue sleeveless tank top, blue jeans, and a Dallas Cowboys cap.
Manuel had numerous distinct tattoos that were a part of his identity. His arms were adorned with multiple tattoos, including a peacock on his upper arm. On the left side of his neck, he had a tattoo of 'el crucifico,' and his chest featured tattoos of flowers and the Virgin Mary. These permanent marks were a testament to his life and beliefs, and they are details that his family holds onto in his absence. The night he vanished, he left behind a life and a family who have now spent decades waiting for answers.
Over a month after he was last seen, on January 23, 1994, the white car Manuel had left the party in was found unoccupied by the Mesa Police Department. The discovery of the abandoned vehicle deepened the mystery surrounding his disappearance and led investigators to suspect that foul play was involved. Since that day, the case has remained open, with the Phoenix Police Department handling the investigation. The circumstances of what happened after Manuel left the party and before the car was found remain unknown. The lack of resolution has left his family in a prolonged state of uncertainty, grappling with the pain of not knowing what became of their beloved Pettie. The case serves as a somber reminder of a life interrupted and the enduring hope for closure.Last Seen: Dec 11, 1993
