Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Deputies continue search for missing woman

Gerald Garner Jr. El Defensor Chieftain Editor

Two months after beginning their search for a missing Polvadera woman, Socorro County Sheriff's deputies are ready to start over.

Lilly Lopez, 33, who was last seen April 15, was reported missing four days later by her boyfriend, Michael Quintana, age unknown, also of Polvadera.

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The couple had allegedly fought after a night of drinking, early interviews revealed. Quintana — who remains a "person of interest" in the investigation — told officials that after he returned home from town, Lopez was nowhere to be found.

A lone shoe, found on a ditchbank prompted an exhaustive search of the network of irrigation ditches north of Socorro — a search that has produced no information about the missing woman's whereabouts.

"We're still actively pursuing this case and tracking down every lead and tip we get," Deputy Eddie Padilla said Tuesday, June 16. "We're trying to exhaust every possible avenue."

Deputy Joe Tafoya — who, along with Padilla, heads the missing persons investigation — said investigators have combed hundreds of miles in their search.

"We've gone around and searched almost every stretch of the county," Tafoya said. "I've made countless passes through the bosque and gone as far as San Lorenzo Canyon just hoping to come across something that will help us."

The biggest challenge deputies face is the vastness of the county.

"It's a huge area to try and cover especially when we have no real concrete leads," Tafoya added.

To date, more than a dozen people have been interviewed, Padilla said. The majority of those people are either friends or family members.

In addition to the ditch search and specific patrols, the New Mexico State Police forensics team has examined Quintana's home and property. Cadaver dogs have also been used.

"So far, all of these investigations have turned up nothing," said Sheriff Phillip Montoya.

Montoya stressed that his department is still treating the investigation as a missing person case.

"There's just no evidence that suggests otherwise at this point," the sheriff said.

Montoya said his deputies have taken the investigation "as far as they could."

"Our next move is to start re-interviewing people and basically starting fresh," Montoya said.

Lopez is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a gray coat, a pink or red shirt, blue jeans and gray hiking shoes.

Anyone with information about Lopez' whereabouts should call the Socorro County Sheriff's Department toll-free at 800-627-0668, or 575-835-0941; or by e-mail to sheriff@co.socorro.nm.us.

ggarner@dchieftain.com

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