Paulino Guzman III, an 18-year-old from Salinas, California, was last seen on December 12, 2015. At the time of his disappearance, he was reportedly in good spirits and had no known intentions of leaving the area. Guzman, also known as "Bubba," was described as a Hispanic male, 5'10" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He had several tattoos on his face, including four dots and two bars under his left eye, and "ES" under his right eye.
When last seen, he was wearing gray basketball shorts and jewelry consisting of cubic zirconia earrings, a sterling silver chain necklace, and a sterling silver bracelet.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Guzman was murdered at a party at the Harden Ranch Apartments on North Main Street in Salinas. During the gathering, Tai Agoun Cruz, a 23-year-old fellow gang member, shot Guzman. Witnesses stated that attendees were cleaning firearms when Cruz took a gun from Guzman, pointed it at him, and fired a single shot. An anonymous 911 call was made by a party attendee, claiming to be a neighbor who heard a gunshot, but when police responded, they did not enter the apartment and were unable to make contact with anyone inside.
The day after the shooting, Cruz and several others returned to the apartment to conceal the crime. They removed the carpet, which was later found to contain Guzman's blood, and cleaned the scene. Guzman's body was placed in a large plastic tub and transported from the location in a small green vehicle, which was never found. In January 2017, Tai Agoun Cruz was arrested and charged with Guzman's murder.
In April 2019, Cruz pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter with gang and firearm enhancements and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. During the sentencing, both the judge and Guzman's stepmother pleaded with Cruz to reveal the location of Guzman's remains to provide his family with a proper burial. Cruz responded with "No comment." Despite extensive searches, Paulino Guzman III's body has never been recovered.Last Seen: Dec 12, 2015
