The family of a Marine veteran and devoted father are enduring an agonising wait for answers after he vanished without a trace in New Mexico last September. Newly obtained police documents have now cast a disturbing light on the hours surrounding his disappearance, revealing frantic emergency calls that authorities did not immediately respond to.
Disappearance and Disturbing Witness Accounts
Joel 'Deano' Valdez, 36, was last seen on September 18. The father-of-three was travelling back to his hometown of Coyote from Silver City, where he had been working. Before completing his journey, he stopped at a gas station in Santa Fe and subsequently disappeared, leaving his family devastated.
According to police reports and 911 recordings acquired by The Santa Fe New Mexican, the situation took a sinister turn. Three separate witnesses called emergency services to report an individual or group breaking into a white pickup truck with a licence plate matching Valdez's vehicle. "Get over here quick. … There is someone breaking into a truck and someone screaming," one caller urgently told the operator.
Santa Fe police confirmed they received these calls but stated a higher-priority incident delayed their response. When officers arrived at the scene approximately 45 minutes later, they reported finding no immediate evidence of a crime. The connection between these calls and Valdez's disappearance remains officially unconfirmed.
Conflicting Narratives and Family's Anguish
Further complicating the mystery, state police reports indicate investigators spoke to a woman who claimed she gave Valdez drugs and administered two doses of Narcan after he overdosed. Valdez's family strongly disputes this account, pointing out that neither he nor his remains have been found, alive or dead.
After hiring a private investigator, the family now believes Valdez was the victim of a crime and have reluctantly concluded he is likely dead. State police have not made an official determination. The investigator discovered that bank statements show Valdez used an ATM in Santa Fe prior to vanishing. Alarmingly, his family also reported that his credit cards were used by someone else after he was allegedly attacked, leading them to report him missing on September 21.
Community Rallies in Search for Answers
Refusing to give up hope, around 100 people – including family, friends, and concerned strangers – gathered near the Santa Fe gas station last Sunday to conduct a search. "We're not giving up, and we're doing it in honor of Deano — because he served his community; he served his country," said his sister-in-law, Alexandra Garcia.
She described the turnout as "a beautiful thing," noting that Valdez, a hard-working and dedicated husband and father, would have done the same for others. For his loved ones, the lack of closure is a continuous torment. Without his remains, they struggle to begin the grieving process. One family member expressed the collective heartbreak: "To go so long without answers has been heart-wrenching... We still don't have all the answers and hope to one day have some clarity and peace."
