LONGMONT, Colo. — It's been almost one year since a mother of three from Longmont went missing on St. Patrick's Day following a night of celebrating with friends.
Rita Gutierrez-Garcia was last seen March 18, 2018 at 2:30 a.m. in a parking lot in the 300 block of Coffman Street.
Longmont Police said at the time that Gutierrez-Garcia was on the phone while walking back to a car with family and friends when she told them she'd catch a ride home with someone else.
That was the last time she was seen. Police have since said they believe she is no longer alive.
Gutierrez-Garcia's family released the following statement on Sunday:
“We still humble ourselves and kneel in prayer, with tears, begging God to be so gracious and return you to us. I feel comfort after a powerful prayer that we’re still under the same sky looking up at the same moon. We continue to have faith that we will find you and justice will be brought to who ever is responsible.”
Longmont Police named Juan Jose Figueroa, Jr. as a suspect in the case last July. Figueroa, 29, this week is on-trial for a separate sexual assault case.
In that case, Figueroa is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in November 2017. That woman escaped, according to the affidavit in the case.
Gutierrez-Garcia is the mother of three boys. Her mother said she was going to school to become a paralegal and had one semester left.
Police said Figueroa traveled to Mexico a few days after Gutierrez-Garcia went missing. They also said they have physical evidence Gutierrez-Garcia was in Figueroa's white Chevy two-door pickup truck, but are unable to release more details.
Investigators said they believe Gutierrez-Garcia's body is in a remote area near the Peak to Peak Highway, Rabbit Mountain or anywhere from Rollins Pass to Jamestown.
The Longmont Police Department is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads them to Gutierrez-Garcia’s remains or leads to an arrest.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Investigations from 9Wants to Know