Missing Paquito: The Disappearance of Jose Fuentes

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

Thousands of immigrants cross into the United States each day through Mexico. Though the journey is a dangerous one, it is necessary. Many come here to create better lives for their families and say the benefits of a better life far outweigh the risks.

Back in December 1993, five members of the Fuentes family, along with may others, traveled all the way from their village in El Salvador to Guatemala with the hopes of reaching the United States to join family.

Amongst them was then seven-year-old Jose Fuentes, the baby of the family. At approximately midnight on December 7, the Fuentes and others crossed into the U.S. from an opening in a Northern Mexico fence and made their way into Southern California.

Jose, his two teenage brothers, his Tia and older sister, Maria had finally completed their 2,000 mile journey from El Salvador which began a month earlier. They were looking forward to a better life with their mother, but what happened within the moments after they entered the U.S. would begin 17-years of emotional turmoil and sadness.

At some point after the Fuentes and others crossed into Southern California, turmoil erupted after someone yelled, "Policia! Policia!"

At this point, little Jose became separated from his family as they scattered to dodge the U.S. Border Patrol officers and reach the American side of the roadway. Amid the confusion and dark, they lost sight of Jose.

There in the dead of night the family drove, frightened and worried about Jose. As they arrived at one checkpoint, they had to hide in a small compartment while customs inspectors searched the truck for illegal immigrants

Once out of the reach of U.S. Border Patrol agents, the "coyotes" (paid smugglers) brought the family to a safe house somewhere in San Diego County before returning to the fence to look for Jose. They were unsuccessful.

Once the family settled in the United States, the search for Jose was delayed and complicated by the little facts they knew about where they were when Jose became separated from the family. They were somewhere near San Ysidro...maybe.

The fact that their immigration status was illegal, the family delayed going to police for fear they would be deported.

But they never stopped praying for Jose or looking for him. When police found the skull of a child, DNA from Jose's parents were compared, but thankfully, there was no match.
Jose's sister, Maria, now in her late twenties and residing in Atlanta, Georgia where she works in nursing, says that her little brother did not know his first or last name.

"we always called him Paquito. we were from a small village in El Salvador and he never went to school," recalled Maria.

Paquito's older brother, Santos now lives in Fort Worth, Texas where he is studying to obtain his master's degree in divinity and wants to be a professor of religion.

Jose was a "normal little boy who liked to play and laugh and do things," said Santos.
"He was a very happy boy. We played soccer. That was our game."

The case is 17-years cold and though new leads rarely come in to detectives, the case remains open and active says Detective Gary Hassen of the San Diego Police Department.
"You have a 7-year-old who went missing 17 years ago. There are only so many resources you can put towards it," said Hassen.

Today, Jose aka Paquito, would be 23-years-old.

If you have any information that may lead to the whereabouts of Jose or someone he is with, please telephone the San Diego police department at (619) 531-2900 and ask for Detective Gary Hassen or email Detective Hassen here

To reach the San Diego police tip line telephone tip line at 619-531-2000.

You may also call The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE LOST.

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