Zoila Mariza Salcedo was 26 when she was last seen leaving her Houston apartment on May 16, 2003. She left the 1500 block of Hollister Street with 43-year-old friend and coworker Arturo Velazquez-Celon, saying she would take him to an eye doctor in Houston or Austin. They departed in Salcedo’s green Ford Explorer; family contact ended between noon and 12:30 p.m. that day.

Five days later, on May 21, the Explorer was found in the 7200 block of Pinemont Street, parked at Velazquez-Celon’s apartment complex. Both Salcedo and Velazquez-Celon were missing. Inside Velazquez-Celon’s unit investigators found signs of a violent struggle, blood later matched to Salcedo, and her purse and driver’s license. Authorities reclassified the case as a homicide on June 6, 2003, and Velazquez-Celon was charged in connection with her murder.

Reports say Velazquez-Celon bought a bus ticket to San Luis, Mexico, hours after Salcedo was last seen; a friend who drove him to the station said he had Salcedo’s cell phone and appeared desperate to leave. He has used aliases including Rene Martinez and may also go by Jose Refugio. Neither Salcedo nor Velazquez-Celon has been located. Did anyone in Houston or San Luis ever see Zoila or Arturo after May 16, 2003?