The person at the center of this case
Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos
Missing Person · Open
13 years waiting · since 2012
Missing Person: Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos
Justice for Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos — the trail went cold in 2012, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What evidence supports the family's belief that Mendoza Santos was kidnapped rather than voluntarily disappeared?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What specific extortion demands were made to the reporting party, and can they be traced to organized crime or cartel activity?
⏰
timeline
Lead #3Why was there an 12-day delay between the disappearance (October 28) and the police report (November 9)?
Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos, a 42-year-old man from Los Angeles, disappeared on October 28, 2012, while driving alone through Mexico en route to El Salvador. His last contact with family was from a Mexican border city near El Salvador, after which he was never heard from again. The reporting party was later extorted and believes Mendoza Santos was kidnapped while traveling through Mexico, making this a potential international abduction case that remains unsolved.
Case
#3395
Los Angeles Police Department - Adult Missing Persons Unit
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
📍
location
Lead #4Which specific Mexican border city was Mendoza Santos in when he made his last contact with family?
🚗
vehicle
Lead #5What details are known about the vehicle Mendoza Santos was driving, and has it been recovered?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP153313. Missing person: Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos.
Last known contact: 2012-10-28 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Circumstances: The MP was traveling alone by car to El Salvador.
The MP was driving through Mexico and last contacted his family from a Mexican City at the border near El Salvador and then the MP was never heard from again. The reporting party was later extorted and believes the MP was kidnapped while in Mexico.
Demographics: 42 years, Male, Hispanic / Latino. Physical description: 5 ft 6 in, 190 lbs, hair: Black, eyes: Brown.
Investigating agency: Los Angeles Police Department- Adult Missing Persons Unit | 122019765 | 2012-11-09.
Timeline of Events
👁️
2012-10-28
Last Contact with Family
Carlos Enrique Mendoza Santos last contacted his family from a Mexican city at the border near El Salvador while traveling by car to El Salvador.
🕵️
2012-11-09
Case Reported to LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department - Adult Missing Persons Unit officially took the case (NamUs case MP153313).
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:October 28, 2012
Last Updated:July 28, 2026
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Phone: 8772755273
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Case Information
Incident:October 28, 2012
Last Updated:July 28, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 8772755273
You can remain anonymous