NM NM - Anthonette Cayedito, 9, Gallup, 6 Apr1986

You have no idea whether my "claims" are unfounded or not. These are not my claims. I choose to believe what Investigators that have worked on this case throughout the years, have said to the local paper, and reliable sources within the community rather than some TV show (Unsolved Mysteries).

- You cannot be 100% certain the sighting wasn't her. It could very well have been her. I don't understand why people come on these boards and throw out claims like this. You are making a ton of assumptions. It could have been another missing person as well. She would "never have written help me".......uhh why not? "She would have provided more clues"......why? Not like she would have been some clear state of mind. And now you are diving into the whole "it was made up" theory.

Ok I should have said "in my opinion." I stand by that. It's no different than some who believe the Unsolved Mysteries version of events, and take it as gospel. If anything, you are being arrogant by dismissing my beliefs, and telling me I should blindly accept the narrative of some TV show, rather than what actual investigators in the case have stated. It's a message forum. People are free to believe what they want. IMO, I think the waitress was either mistaken, or not credible. Even if a girl did write "help me" on a piece of paper/napkin, it was probably a joke. The supposed restaurant incident took place nearly 4 years after she went missing, and if she really wanted help, she would almost certainly left legitimate clues as to her identity.

- Once again, you are making assumptions based on what YOU think she would do. How in the world could you possibly rule out, with 100% certainty, that it wasn't her? The call was like 10 seconds long. If it were her, she was probably terrified and her captor was obviously right by her because you could hear his/her voice interject.

Rather than attack my opinion, why not try and convince me otherwise. By making it personal and attacking me, you are just going to make me double-down. It just takes some basic web sleuthing skills to understand how I reached this conclusion. When cases like this are high profile enough to be big news across the State, on most occasions, you get people who are sick enough to make staged or prank calls. There have been numerous cases of people who are unconnected in any way to these types of cases, phoning in, and claiming they have the kidnap victim, and trying to profit from it, by making ransom demands.

If you really step back and analyze the call, there are several reasons to believe it was not Antoinette. For starters, the young caller did not dial the local 9-1-1 number. She dialed the Gallop Police Department, and spoke to a 9-1-1 dispatcher from Gallop, even though she was in Albuquerque. That in itself makes little sense, considering if a child was being held against her will, she would almost certainly call 9-1-1, as children in North America have been instructed to do for decades, and not some long distance call. Secondly, the caller provides no useful clues in regards to where she is or who took her. She claims she is Anthonette Cayedito, and that is pretty much it, gives no indication of where she is located, or who has taken her. That in itself makes me lean to believe that it was a heartless prank.

When there is a murder or a kidnapping, the general rule for law enforcement is to eliminate the people that are closest to Anthonette (immediate family, etc). They were never able to do this with the mother.

I do agree with the last part though, not in its entirety though. I find it strange the mom didn't hear anything at 3am in a house that was only 1 level. The sister says there was a struggle too and screaming so I still think the mom would have woken up. She got up at 7am without much trouble. Also, people generally don't impulsively kidnap, it's usually planned. So how would "Uncle Joe" know that the girls were going to answer the door and not the mom? Sounds to me like this was set up.

The problem with the 3 AM abduction theory is it is the families version of events, and cannot be collaborated by other witnesses. I would not put too much weight into believing anything Penny has to say, as she was a suspect in the disappearance, , to the point that investigators attempted to get her to confess as to what happen to Anthonette in 1999 while she was on her death bed in hospital. A more credible theory involves a van witnessed pulling up to the house between 6-7 AM. I've always been of the opinion that too many people put too much emphasis on the Unsolved Mysteries version of events. The phone call and restaurant encounter, and "Uncle Joe" look "sexy' for NBC, but cannot be substantiated in any way. I've spoken to relatives of people involved in three different UM cases, and all of them have claimed that the show was more interested in ratings and making it attractive to the TV viewer, rather than get an accurate portrayal of the events surrounding the case.
 
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I do think her mom had something to do with this. She did fail a lie detector test. Where was Anthonette's dad?

Nothing is ever mentioned about the dad. As with all these cases I am sure that there is a lot of information that we don't know in terms of the investigation. If she was sold or if her mother knew of her abduction did the police talk to her known associates? Did anyone of these people suddenly leave the area? As technology caught up with this case was the home ever checked for forensic evidence?
 
When I was young (9-10) and watched this show I was excited when her mom said the voice on the tape belonged to her daughter. She was certain it was Anthonette because of the way she said her last name. I believed the facts as presented because that is what children do. As an adult and after having spent years on these boards and reading about thousands of cases, I am convinced her mother knew what happened. I think that phone call was not a hoax, but intentional to make it look like Anthonette was still alive and her mother was in on the plan to make the call. I really just want Anthonette to be found. I don't believe she is still alive. She needs to be respectfully laid to rest.
 
When I was young (9-10) and watched this show I was excited when her mom said the voice on the tape belonged to her daughter. She was certain it was Anthonette because of the way she said her last name. I believed the facts as presented because that is what children do. As an adult and after having spent years on these boards and reading about thousands of cases, I am convinced her mother knew what happened. I think that phone call was not a hoax, but intentional to make it look like Anthonette was still alive and her mother was in on the plan to make the call. I really just want Anthonette to be found. I don't believe she is still alive. She needs to be respectfully laid to rest.

If the information is correct it seems implausible that if she was in Albuquerque she would call Gallup. How would she know the number? If she simply dialed 911 she would have had to have been in Gallup or a surrounding area that went to that 911 center. And if so that means she was close.
 
She was feautered in the poddcast
085 - The Abduction Of Anthonette Cayedito Trace Evidence podcast

A couple of thoughts:

It was mentioned how mature she was that she was almost like a 15 year, babysitting her younger sisters, cooking, ironing and dressing them. She was 9.

Her mother was drinking and often going out, plenty of people used to come to the house.

The father was estrangled from the family, she didn't share the same father with her sisters. Her father was somehow involved in drug smuggling.

There were initally no witnesses to her abduction since she was grabbed after answering the door. Her 5 year old sister later recanted years later and said that she saw the abduction and it was somebody who called himself "uncle joe". It's uncertain if that's his real name or if she even saw the abdution. She was 5.

Somebody would later call the local sheriffs department in Gallup, TX claiming to be Anthonette, later the call was abrupted and the child started to scream. Why didnt she call 911 instead? Her mother thinks it was her. It could be or it could be a hoax.

A waitress would years later see a young girl at a restaurant asking for help by writing on napkins. She thought she may be Anthonette, it could be but it's uncertain. Keep in mind she recently read of the case before meeting her.

Her mother or father were somehow involed or knew more about it. Possible but no evidence about it came through.

She died in accident and the whole story was made up by her mother. Possible but no evidence at all to prove it.

A brown truck was seen outside of the house the day she was abducted. A neighbour saw a man step out and walk towards the house. Someone would know twice, furst time at 3 am but no answer, then second time at 7 am, that when Anthonette answered and got abducted. Why would someone wait 4 hours to knock again? and why would he abduct a child in such a risky way. It's bright, people wake up and go to work and what if the mother answered instead?

I feel like if this really happened it must have been somebody she knew. A friend of the mother perhaps. Anhonette must've known him somehow. Still very risky, so he must've got "lucky". What was the point of it all? hurt the mother? a predator just wanting a child? or about money? no ransom was ever requested so I doubt it was for financial reasons.

After all these years there's been abslutely nothing, just specualtion. According to LE they questioned alot of people in the vicinity but nothing came out. The mother is late. Perhaps a new detective should look at the case again and question witnesses and acquaintances of the family once more. This case is strange.
 
I'm curious as to what they did with the note from the diner. Would love some follow-up in regards to DNA from the napkin. Did they do anything else with the diner? Interview other witnesses etc..
 
She was feautered in the poddcast
085 - The Abduction Of Anthonette Cayedito Trace Evidence podcast

A couple of thoughts:

It was mentioned how mature she was that she was almost like a 15 year, babysitting her younger sisters, cooking, ironing and dressing them. She was 9.

Her mother was drinking and often going out, plenty of people used to come to the house.

The father was estrangled from the family, she didn't share the same father with her sisters. Her father was somehow involved in drug smuggling.

There were initally no witnesses to her abduction since she was grabbed after answering the door. Her 5 year old sister later recanted years later and said that she saw the abduction and it was somebody who called himself "uncle joe". It's uncertain if that's his real name or if she even saw the abdution. She was 5.

Somebody would later call the local sheriffs department in Gallup, TX claiming to be Anthonette, later the call was abrupted and the child started to scream. Why didnt she call 911 instead? Her mother thinks it was her. It could be or it could be a hoax.

A waitress would years later see a young girl at a restaurant asking for help by writing on napkins. She thought she may be Anthonette, it could be but it's uncertain. Keep in mind she recently read of the case before meeting her.

Her mother or father were somehow involed or knew more about it. Possible but no evidence about it came through.

She died in accident and the whole story was made up by her mother. Possible but no evidence at all to prove it.

A brown truck was seen outside of the house the day she was abducted. A neighbour saw a man step out and walk towards the house. Someone would know twice, furst time at 3 am but no answer, then second time at 7 am, that when Anthonette answered and got abducted. Why would someone wait 4 hours to knock again? and why would he abduct a child in such a risky way. It's bright, people wake up and go to work and what if the mother answered instead?

I feel like if this really happened it must have been somebody she knew. A friend of the mother perhaps. Anhonette must've known him somehow. Still very risky, so he must've got "lucky". What was the point of it all? hurt the mother? a predator just wanting a child? or about money? no ransom was ever requested so I doubt it was for financial reasons.

After all these years there's been abslutely nothing, just specualtion. According to LE they questioned alot of people in the vicinity but nothing came out. The mother is late. Perhaps a new detective should look at the case again and question witnesses and acquaintances of the family once more. This case is strange.

Gallup, New Mexico.. Not Gallup, Texas.
 
Random thought—could Anthonette have believed she was in Albuquerque when in reality she was in Gallup? She was 9 when she disappeared, and the 911 call happened 7 months later. Is it possible she was taken to an unfamiliar part of Gallup but told she was in Albuquerque? At 9 years old, would she have known the difference? That would explain why she said Albuquerque, but the call went to Gallup dispatch.

I struggle with the 911 call. It’s haunted me since I first heard it on UM because it sounds so real to me. But at the same time, would kidnappers risk staying in the area for 7 months? Then again, it’s happened before (e.g., Jayme Closs).
 
Random thought—could Anthonette have believed she was in Albuquerque when in reality she was in Gallup? She was 9 when she disappeared, and the 911 call happened 7 months later. Is it possible she was taken to an unfamiliar part of Gallup but told she was in Albuquerque? At 9 years old, would she have known the difference? That would explain why she said Albuquerque, but the call went to Gallup dispatch.

I struggle with the 911 call. It’s haunted me since I first heard it on UM because it sounds so real to me. But at the same time, would kidnappers risk staying in the area for 7 months? Then again, it’s happened before (e.g., Jayme Closs).

I have wondered this too, however, it was said she called the local number, not 911.
 
Last year, a user on Reddit posted the possibility that a 1996 Jane Doe could be Anthonette.

(The link above does not contain any photos, but an online search for the IDs below will bring up a reconstruction.)

Namus UP914 (or 524UFNM on Doe Network) was found on May 2, 1996, in Albuquerque, and was estimated to have been a female aged 14-19, had been dead for "weeks," and was likely to have been a mix of white, Hispanic and Native American. Anthonette would've been 19 years old in early 1996, and upthread it was said she was a mix of Italian, Hispanic, and Native American. I can see a resemblance between the age-progression of Anthonette, and the reconstruction of the decedent.

The user said s/he submitted this to LE but hadn't heard back, and there have been no new updates.

If this is her, then it suggests Anthonette could've been held for 10 years after her disappearance.

I feel like this could be consistent with the allegation that the mom knew more than she was telling. Even if the mom sold her for money (like the new car, as has been claimed), I don't want to believe she would've knowingly sold Anthonette to people who would've killed her. I don't know... I didn't get that vibe from her. Maybe the mom was told that a couple was looking to adopt a girl for whatever reason, and she did it for the money. If that's true, then maybe Anthonette found out when she reached adulthood, and was then eliminated as a threat.

What do you think?
 
I think it's extremely unlikely but IMO, if they haven't, they should run the DNA comparison anyway, since Anthonette was never located. You'd think they'd want to be 100% sure.

And also for the peace-of-mind of everyone who wonders about the possibility.
 
I'm pretty much with 'Jets for life' on this, i think the mother was paid, couple of observations......(i have a 7 and 10 year old), her sister at 9 claims that when she was 5 a man who "called himself uncle joe", NOT known to her ie "it was uncle joe".... i'm sorry but that's beyond laughable. The thought that someone might come forward now i think highly unlikely, hard to explain...but people/community involved would not see it as we do and it would probably been accepted and not spoken about,as they wouldn't be bothered, hope that makes sense!
 
I'm pretty much with 'Jets for life' on this, i think the mother was paid, couple of observations......(i have a 7 and 10 year old), her sister at 9 claims that when she was 5 a man who "called himself uncle joe", NOT known to her ie "it was uncle joe".... i'm sorry but that's beyond laughable. The thought that someone might come forward now i think highly unlikely, hard to explain...but people/community involved would not see it as we do and it would probably been accepted and not spoken about,as they wouldn't be bothered, hope that makes sense!

BBM. I think I know what you mean.

People say children don't lie or keep secrets, but anyone with a child knows they're perfectly capable of doing both. It's just that they don't quite yet know when they should lie or keep a secret.

If the sister worded it like that, then that means that at 5 years old, she was able to recognize that a stranger was trying to pass himself off as Uncle Joe. Would she have kept that to herself? True, she could've been threatened, told she would get in trouble, as she later claims. But I don't know... with a sister missing, a mother allegedly upset and desperate, and police in the community, would a child have really kept quiet for years?
 
Also, I just noticed this morning that, last year, someone on Anthonette's UM page suggested "Apache Junction Jane Doe" as a possible match. (AJJD has a WS thread.)

AJJD was found in August 1992 in Apache Junction, AZ near Highway 60, which is less than a 5-hour drive from Gallup. She was estimated to be "somewhere around 16 years old," just like Anthonette would've been that year.

According to recent DNA testing, as indicated on post #36 of AJJD's WS thread, "AJJD is thought to be of mixed race, with possibly one parent who is Hispanic with Mexican ancestry, and the other who is African American with roots in Virginia." Although Anthonette's father is said to be "of Italian and Hispanic descent," DNA testing does also include "Mexico, and the Southwest United States (AZ, CA, TX, NM)."

But on top of that, I think there's a physical resemblance between the age-progression photo of Anthonette and the recon of AJJD (side-by-side below). Keep in mind that Anthonette was 9 when she disappeared, so her body and face were still changing. AJJD is also said to have not had good dental care, as she protruding teeth, which is possible if Anthonette's young teeth hadn't been cared for.

What do you think?
 

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FBI Media Alert today:

FBI Media Alert: FBI Still Searching for Anthonette Cayedito 34 Years After Her Disappearance in Gallup, New Mexico — FBI

ANTHONETTE CHRISTINE CAYEDITO
April 6, 1986
Gallup, New Mexico

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Date(s) of Birth Used December 25, 1976
Place of Birth New Mexico
Hair Brown
Eyes Brown
Height 4'7" (at the time of her disappearance)
Weight 55 pounds (at the time of her disappearance)
Sex Female
Race Biracial (Native American and White)
Nationality American
Scars and Marks Cayedito has freckles, pierced ears, a scar on her knee, and a scar on her lip. She has moles on her back, right cheek, nose, left and right hands, and her right ankle.
Remarks:
Cayedito is of Navajo and Italian descent. At the time of her disappearance, she wore glasses. She was known to wear a silver chain with a small turquoise cross pendant.

Details:
Anthonette Cayedito was last seen inside her family’s residence in Gallup, New Mexico, on April 6, 1986. She was last seen wearing a pink nightgown.

Submit a Tip:
If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

Field Office: Albuquerque

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