Inez Garcia went missing in 1952 and was never found. But after discovering some bone fragments buried in her late husband's garage, police believe they might be able to solve her cold case after all.
In 1952, Juan Garcia, Inez's husband told police that after leaving a bar the couple got into an argument. While driving home, Inez Garcia jumped out of the car and walked away never to be seen again. (Via Santa Fe Police Department)
But the Albuquerque Journal cites an article published in 1954, more than a year after Garcia's disappearance, that tells a different story.
According to the 1954 article, "after a night of drinking, she was last seen leaving a downtown bar following a stranger who had just appeared." The article also says Garcia was "very drunk" and that her friends told her husband.
Though the story of what happened before Garcia's disappearance varies, there are a few hard facts, one of which is that Garcia's husband would not allow anyone in the garage while he was alive, not even his kids.
Police viewed the husband as a person of interest but reportedly never had enough evidence to get a search warrant. The case was reopened by a Santa Fe detective in January who tracked down the current owner of the property asking to dig in the garage.
"We found about four pieces of bone fragment. ... We took those to the office of the medical investigator and he said it was possible they are human."
When police discovered the bones could be human they were sent to a specialty lab in Texas where they will be tested further. Police say the tests could take up to two months.
