Lourdes Maria Gruart Missing Person Case

Jan 27, 2026

Jan 27, 2026

Lourdes

Maria Gruart

71

46

5'10 inches

130 lbs

Hispanic

Female

In the autumn of 2000, 46-year-old Lourdes Maria Gruart, a former model, disappeared from her apartment in Manhattan, New York. She was last seen on October 14, 2000. Originally from Cuba, Lourdes and her family immigrated to the United States when she was a child. After graduating from college with a degree in international affairs, she pursued a modeling career that took her to New York City and later to Milan, Italy, in 1983, where she found success as a runway model. By the late 1980s, as the fashion industry shifted towards younger models, her opportunities began to dwindle, and she returned to the United States in 1988. The years that followed were marked by personal and financial struggles. Friends noted she may have been depressed leading up to her disappearance as she contended with the end of her modeling career and took on work as a fit model, a job she reportedly disliked. The circumstances surrounding Lourdes's disappearance are centered on the account given by her younger brother, Mario, who had recently moved in with her. He told authorities that on the morning of October 14, Lourdes left their apartment with a large green bag, stating she was traveling to Europe for a modeling job. However, this story quickly raised red flags for investigators. They discovered that Lourdes's passport had expired in 1988, and she had left behind all of her personal belongings, including her modeling portfolio, an essential item for any working model. The only items that appeared to be missing were her lingerie. Her mother also told investigators that Lourdes would never travel without letting her know her plans. Mario's actions after his sister was gone also drew suspicion; he moved many of her possessions out of the apartment and disposed of her couch, claiming they had both agreed to replace it, though a new one never arrived. Despite the strange circumstances and inconsistencies in his story, authorities eventually stated they did not believe Mario was involved in his sister's disappearance. The investigation explored multiple possibilities, including that Lourdes left on her own, died by suicide, or was a victim of foul play. Rumors circulated that she might have been involved in sex work to supplement her income, which some thought could explain her missing lingerie, but these theories were never confirmed. Over the years, no concrete evidence has surfaced to support any one theory, and her friends remain divided on what might have happened. The case of Lourdes Gruart is an enduring mystery, leaving her loved ones without answers and her fate unknown. Her story is a somber tale of a woman who seemingly vanished from the heart of a bustling city, leaving behind a life of unfulfilled dreams and lingering questions.

Oct 14, 2000

Manhattan

New York

Manhattan

New York City Police Departmen

646-610-6914

08/19/2026