ODESSA, Texas — The Odessa Police Department has made a breakthrough in a 1984 missing person case involving 39-year-old Maria Faye Mendez.
Mendez was reported missing in August of 1984 from her apartment located in the 2400 block of West 10th Street. Her family would report her as missing days later after failing to get in contact with her.
The initial investigation team conducted interviews and canvases, but the case would quickly cold. In 2022, OPD received some DNA samples from living relatives of Maria Mendez and they were sent to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.
In January 2023, the center notified OPD about a DNA match, which stemmed from skeletal remains recovered in Crane County in January of 1990. The remains were found by Crane County Deputies and in 2013, with help from CCSO and OPD, the remains were submitted for DNA testing and anthropological research.
With new advancements in technology and forensic testing, OPD was able to identify the skeleton remains in Crane County as Maria Faye Mendez.
The Odessa Police Department would like to thank the Texas Rangers, Ms. Mendez's family, and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for all there help during this multiple decade investigation.
The case has now been upgraded to an active homicide investigation. Anyone would have any information that could lead to an arrest is encouraged to call OPD at 432-335-3333 or Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-333-TIPS.