Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP50426) and 7 other sources
On a spring day in 2018, a young father named Manuel Valentino-Franc Molina, just 20 years old, vanished from Catalina, Arizona. He was last seen on April 9, 2018, in the area of north Bowman Road and east Whitehill Way. Known to some as Tino, Manuel was a Hispanic male, standing at 6 feet tall and weighing around 160 pounds, with short, buzzed black hair and brown eyes. His appearance was distinguished by several tattoos, including stars on each elbow, the name 'Ashton' over his heart, alchemy symbols on both forearms, and a Cheshire cat on his ribcage. His sudden disappearance marked the beginning of an ongoing search for answers.

At the time he went missing, Manuel was living with friends in Catalina and was an employee at a local McDonald's restaurant. A significant part of his life was his two-year-old son, for whom he cared deeply. The alarm was raised not by an immediate family member in his household, but by one of his friends who grew concerned and reached out to Manuel's mother in Willcox, Arizona, to ask if she had seen him. It was his mother who then officially reported him missing to the Pima County Sheriff's Department on April 17, 2018. Those who know Manuel are adamant that he would never have willingly abandoned his young son or cut off all contact with his loved ones.

From the outset, law enforcement has treated Manuel's disappearance as suspicious. The Pima County Sheriff's Department assigned its homicide unit to investigate the case, signaling the serious nature of the circumstances surrounding his vanishing. His family and friends strongly believe that he met with foul play, a belief rooted in his consistent character and his devotion as a father. Despite the passage of time, the case has grown cold, with very limited public information available regarding the investigation. The central mystery of what happened to Manuel Molina remains unsolved, leaving his family, especially his son, without closure. The case is an overview of a young man who disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a community and family searching for answers about his fate.

Last Seen: Apr 9, 2018

Possible Unidentified Matches (9)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

78%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP54493
John Doe — Arizona
UP54493 • Found Sep 10, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 18–39 vs 20
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 88%53 mi away, same county
TimingFound 5 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8"–6'1" vs 6'0"
78%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP141662
John Doe — Arizona
UP141662 • Found Nov 24, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 88%53 mi away, same county
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7"–5'11" vs 6'0"
77%Possible
John Doe — East of Sells, Arizona - unidentified case UP71940
John Doe — East of Sells, Arizona
UP71940 • Found Mar 8, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 17–22 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 84%69 mi away, same county
TimingFound 23 months after last seen
Height 75%5'3"–5'10" vs 6'0"
76%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP67876
John Doe — Arizona
UP67876 • Found Oct 23, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 19–34 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 88%53 mi away, same county
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
76%Possible
John Doe — Granite Tank, Arizona - unidentified case UP66455
John Doe — Granite Tank, Arizona
UP66455 • Found Sep 27, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–30 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 97%19 mi away, same county
TimingFound 18 months after last seen
Height 36%5'2"–5'7" vs 6'0"
76%Possible
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada - unidentified case UP50662
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
UP50662 • Found Apr 5, 2018
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–32 vs 20
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 41%343 mi away
TimingFound same day as last seen
Height 100%6'1" vs 6'0"
Weight 86%133 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — San Miguel Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP79930
John Doe — San Miguel Village, Arizona
UP79930 • Found Dec 24, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–23 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 81%79 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 68%5'5"–5'9" vs 6'0"
75%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP77435
John Doe — Arizona
UP77435 • Found Sep 18, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–30 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 88%53 mi away, same county
TimingFound 2 years after last seen
75%Possible
John Doe — W of Ajo, Arizona - unidentified case UP68362
John Doe — W of Ajo, Arizona
UP68362 • Found Dec 7, 2019
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 18–40 vs 20 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 97%23 mi away, same county
TimingFound 20 months after last seen

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.