Evelyn Salazar, a 27-year-old Hispanic woman, vanished from Albuquerque, New Mexico on March 26, 2004. On that day, she and her 15-year-old cousin, Jamie Barela, left a family gathering to go to a park near San Mateo and Gibson SE and were never seen alive again. For years, their families held onto hope, but the discovery of human remains at a construction site on the West Mesa in February 2009 would begin to unravel a horrific truth.
In November 2009, through DNA evidence, skeletal
remains found at the site were positively identified as Evelyn Salazar. Her body was one of eleven sets of female remains, along with an unborn child, unearthed from shallow graves in what would become known as the West Mesa murders. The victims, many of whom, including Salazar, had ties to drugs and prostitution, were believed to be the victims of a serial killer active between 2001 and 2005.
The investigation into the West Mesa murders has been a long and complex one, with a task force assigned to the case. While no official suspects have been named or arrests made in connection with the murders, several individuals have been considered persons of interest over the years. Two names that have been widely reported are Lorenzo Montoya and Joseph Blea. Montoya had a history of violence against sex workers and was killed in 2006, after which the murders appeared to stop. Joseph Blea, known as the "Mid-School Rapist," also drew the attention of investigators. Despite these and other leads, the case remains unsolved.
The families of Evelyn Salazar and the other victims continue to wait for justice. A reward of up to $100,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for these crimes. The case remains an open and active investigation, a chilling chapter in Albuquerque's history and a source of enduring pain for the families left behind.
