POSTED: Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 9:49pm
UPDATED: Monday, April 9, 2012 - 10:40am
CHAPARRAL, N.M. — The family of a missing Otero County man is seeking answers.
The daughters of 67-year-old Hector Gardea say their father hasn't been seen in weeks.
Now, they're desperate to find out where he might be.
Hector's two daughters say they have been knocking on doors in their father's Chaparral community looking for clues.
"We scanned Chaparral completely. We went into the little town, stopped at the stores my dad would frequent. The people there seemed to have grown extremely close to my father,” said his daughter Marissa Gardea.
Inside of his home, Hector's daughters say they found his diabetes medication and all of his personal belongs still inside the house.
"It looks like he got up and left like to go run an errand to the store and was thinking of coming back home, and no one ever saw him since,” said his daughter Rosie Aquirre.
Working on tips from community members, his daughters think someone might have harmed their father over a dispute involving money.
"He lived day-by-day. Little to no money. I mean if that is the reason for why anybody would want to hurt him, we can't understand. He had very little money,” said Aquirre.
Hector's yellow 1967 Nissan Datsan is also missing. The Doña Ana Sheriff's cold case unit is now handling the case.
His daughters say they are not giving up hope that their father will be found.
They say his disappearance is shocking to the Chaparral community.
"Just a very great man. Very loving. Cared for you know his neighbors, friends and it seems like Chaparral is like one big family because everybody knows everybody there,” said Aquirre
If you have any information about Hector Gardea's where about, please contact the law enforcement agencies below.
New Mexico State Police
4491 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87507-9721 Ph: 505-827-9300
505-827-3476
Otero County
Sheriff's Office
3208 N. White Sands Blvd.
Alamogordo, NM 88310
575 437-2210