On November 27, 2010, 43-year-old Ricardo Gomez of San Marcos, Texas, disappeared along with four companions after crossing the border into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Gomez was accompanied by his 14-year-old nephew, Jiovany Gomez from Chicago, who was visiting relatives in Texas. Also with them were three other San Marcos residents: Luis Hernandez, Carlos Ortega-Gonzales, and Nicholas Munoz. The group was traveling in a green 2003 Chevrolet Suburban with Texas license plate number AD98575.
The men had traveled to the border city of Laredo, Texas, to handle paperwork for a vehicle. After concluding their business in Laredo, they made the decision to cross into Nuevo Laredo for shopping. At approximately 12:00 p.m., Luis Hernandez placed a call to his wife, informing her that they anticipated returning to San Marcos between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. that evening. However, the group never arrived, and no one has heard from them since.
Concerns for the men's welfare grew, and on November 30, 2010, law enforcement was alerted after Munoz and Hernandez, both described as reliable employees, failed to report for their jobs at Heldenfels Enterprises Inc., a concrete company. The Federal Bureau of Investigation became involved in the case, treating it as a missing persons investigation while acknowledging the strong possibility of a kidnapping. Special Agent Erik Vasquez of the FBI's San Antonio office stated at the time, "We’re treating this as a missing persons case but it’s just a few degrees over for it to turn into a bonafide kidnapping." Family members of the missing men expressed their fears that their loved ones had been abducted.
Ricardo Gomez and Luis Hernandez are American citizens, while the other two adult men, Carlos Ortega-Gonzales and Nicholas Munoz, are Mexican-born legal residents of the United States. Despite the involvement of the FBI and their cooperation with Mexican authorities, the case has remained unsolved for over a decade. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Ricardo Gomez and his four companions are still unclear, and it is believed they may still be in Mexico, with foul play strongly suspected in their cases. Although Jiovany Gomez is classified as a runaway by some agencies, the context of his disappearance alongside the four adults raises serious concerns for his safety.Last Seen: Nov 27, 2010
