Dulce Mercedes Martinez, a 38-year-old mother of four, was last seen leaving her job on FM Road 1488 in Hempstead, Texas, between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m. on October 1, 2022. She was driving a white 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, Texas plate PMG 3540, and was last known to be wearing a black jacket, gray shirt, black pants and black shoes. Martinez had been in daily contact with her children before she vanished.

On October 3 her vehicle was found abandoned outside a business at Broadway and Brockton Streets near the 610 South Loop in Houston. A witness saw a Hispanic male in his forties, about 5 feet 10 inches and 205 pounds, wearing dark clothing, leaving the vehicle and walking away. Surveillance video from October 2 reportedly shows Martinez entering Aldo Ramirez’s apartment on Northline Drive; footage the next day shows Ramirez moving a large object wrapped in a rug and secured with duct tape into the back of Martinez’s Traverse. The rug was missing when the vehicle was recovered and bloodstains were reported.

Aldo Ramirez, described by Martinez’s family as having stalked and harassed her during a troubled, year-long relationship, has been arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence, specifically a human corpse. He has not been charged with causing her death. Martinez’s disappearance remains unsolved. If anyone has information about Dulce’s movements in Hempstead or Houston in early October 2022, please come forward.