URGENT UPDATE: An El Paso family is in a desperate search for their daughter, 24-year-old Sydney Marquez, who disappeared during a visit to Houston earlier this month. Investigators confirm that Sydney was last seen on December 11, 2023, near the 9100 block of Bellaire Boulevard.
Sydney’s father, Raul Marquez, has pleaded for help, emphasizing the critical need for video footage from a METRO bus she may have boarded. Authorities have confirmed that the needed bus video has been retrieved and is now in the hands of the Houston Police Department (HPD), which is leading the investigation.
Surveillance footage shows Sydney walking away after leaving a friend’s car running in the street. Witnesses reported that she may have boarded a northbound METRO bus at the intersection of Gessner and Harwin, on route 46 heading towards the Little York area. Raul stated, “I have the exact time when she boarded that bus. That footage is a matter of life and death.”
“Time’s not on our side,”
said Tim Miller, founder of Texas EquuSearch, which is assisting in the search. “She’s a young girl who was walking late at night, not knowing the area. We just want to get her home safe.”
The METRO Police Department confirmed that they are actively cooperating with HPD and have provided the retrieved bus footage to aid in the investigation. MPD remains hopeful for Sydney’s safe return and is committed to continuing support as the case unfolds.
Authorities are also addressing mental health concerns related to Sydney’s disappearance. Raul disclosed that she has been diagnosed with late-onset bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, noting, “Over the last two or three months, we saw some changes—some behavior.”
Sydney is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 120 pounds, with short reddish-brown hair, brown eyes, and wearing glasses. She has a distinctive four-leaf clover tattoo on her left wrist. In an emotional message to his daughter, Raul said, “Sydney, you need to come home now. We miss you. We love you. Christmas is around the corner.”
Witnesses have indicated that Sydney may have boarded the bus with two men who allegedly prevented her from using a phone offered to her at the bus stop. The retrieved bus video could be pivotal in identifying these individuals.
Anyone with information regarding Sydney Marquez’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Houston Police Department at (832) 394-1840 or Texas EquuSearch at (281) 309-9500.
