TX TX - Melissa Alaniz, 12, El Paso, 7 March 1987

Melissa Alaniz
Missing since March 7, 1987 from El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: March 17, 1974
Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'2"; 105 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Hispanic female. Black hair, brown eyes.
Clothing: Black t-shirt with "Iron Maiden" logo, black and white checked jeans, white socks with red and blue stripes on top and white tennis shoes.
Dentals: Available
DNA: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Alaniz was last seen on March 7, 1987 in El Paso, Texas. Her disappearance may be linked to the disappearances of several young women in the El Paso area the same year. Most women were then located murdered. Two other young women, Marjorie Knox, 14, who vanished on February 14, 1987, from nearby Chaparral, New Mexico, and Cheryl Vasquez-Dismukes are still missing and, like Melissa Alaniz, presumed dead by authorities. Police have identified a suspect in the case, an ex-convict with a history of violence against females who was paroled in January 1987 just a few days before the beginning of this string of murders and disappearances. He denied any involvement in the cases and was never charged. He matches the description of the man one victim was last seen with, was seen riding a motorcycle with another months before she died and witnesses have placed him at the convenient store Cheryl Vasquez was last seen at.

Two weeks before Melissa vanished, she ran away from home after a family argument. She returned after two days, however, and authorities don't believe she left of her own accord again when she vanished in March 1987

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Texas Department of Public Safety
512-424-5074
--
El Paso Police Department
915-832-4445

Agency Case Number: R8901009

NamUs 2782

doenetwork - 2388dftx

charleyproject

I ran across Melissa with another case & found all this info so wanted to make a post for it. Not sure if anyone wants to take it on.

Friend of Melissa's doesn't think she was killed by serial killer - see the Topix post

Claims of Corruption, Lies and Cover-ups About El Paso's Northeast Desert Murders of 1987

Interview: Convicted Serial Killer David L. Wood Claims Innocence

The other 2 missing gals

Marjorie Knox - She attended a Valentine's Day party at Veterans Park in the northeast part of the city. Witnesses saw a young man driving a small truck pull up at the entrance to the park and speak to Marjorie. She disappeared a short time later. Someone saw her walking in Chaparral, New Mexico on Chaparral Street, an unpaved and unlit road, at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. the next day. Marjorie lived with her family on Byrum Street in Chaparral, a small town about 25 miles from El Paso. She has never been heard from again.

Cheryl Vasquez - At the time of her dispapearance, Vasquez worked at a fast food restaurant on Dyer Street and at the <i>Matador Plastics</i> factory in northeast El Paso. Dismukes's mother-in-law claims she knows people who saw her alive after her disappearance, but police believe foul play was involved in her case and Wood was responsible.

13-year-old kidnapped in Northeast El Paso 26 years ago

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_22761917/13-year-old-kidnapped-26-years-ago

Melissa Alaniz: Born Mar 17, 1974

Missing Date: Mar 7, 1987

Missing From: El Paso, TX

Melissa was last seen on the evening of March 7, 1987 when she left her residence to walk to a nearby convenience store. Melissa was last seen wearing a black Iron Maiden t-shirt, jeans, white socks with blue or red stripes on the top, and white tennis shoes.

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/f...for-missing-teenage-7395614.php#photo-8340949

Bumping for Melissa Alaniz.

Recently watched On the Case with Paula Zahn "Buried Dreams" episode that looked at the 1987 El Paso area murders committed by David Wood. At the time, 9 young women went missing , 6 of them were found murdered.

Alaniz's case remains unsolved.

Buried Dreams | On the Case with Paula Zahn

Bumping this thread for Melissa.

Photo of Melissa that I enhanced. I included the original image so that you can see the difference.

El Paso Times, published 3/7/25

Melissa Alaniz​

Melissa Alaniz, 12, was out with friends March 7, 1987 when she asked her family for permission to stay out a little past curfew. Alaniz was reported as being 13 years old, but her family said she was 12 — a week away from becoming a teenager. She attended H.E. Charles Middle School.



She was reported missing, but police believed she had run away from home. She had previously run away but returned home after two nights. Alaniz lived near Wood's home.

"She was so young," Alicia Alaniz, Melissa’s mother, said. "She was just a very sweet girl. This is very painful for me. There is not a day that doesn't go by and I don't think about her. I pray every day for her."