Hector Javier Lopez-Ruiz was 20 when he was last seen in Vista, California, on October 15, 1997. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches, about 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Notable markings include a V tattoo on his left middle finger and possible additional tattoos on his back that may have read Vista or Sandie.

The circumstances of his disappearance are largely unknown. He was last seen in the San Diego County area and has not been heard from since; the case remains unsolved and is listed in NamUs and the California Department of Justice databases. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is handling the investigation and asks anyone with information to come forward.

Did anyone in Vista or the surrounding area know Hector or remember seeing him around mid-October 1997?