Robert Catrell II disappeared in Cancun on June 23, while his suitcase made it to the United States
The mystery of the disappearance in Cancun of Robert Cantrell II, 62, of Ajijic, deepened after the Lakeside News interviewed Christy Cantrell, his niece. She described a false location, a voice message from the missing person and his suitcase that arrived at his address in Jacksonville, United States.
Last week, the Lakeside News reported that the Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office reopened the search for Robert Cantrell after calls from the US consulate. The search had stopped when, according to Christy and Val Jones, Cantrell’s personal assistant in Ajijic, the daughter of the unlocated man, Lauren, told the Prosecutor’s Office that she did not want them to find him and asked that they end the search. Christy and Jones deny it and are now actively working with the Attorney General’s Office, the US consulate and a network of Cancun residents, in order to find him.
“There’s no way Rob is leaving his family like this. He wants them to find him… I have been told that other members of his family did not cooperate with Texas EquuSearch, a Texas-based non-profit organization that voluntarily searches for missing persons, and they also told the Prosecutor’s Office to stop looking. I don’t get it,” Christy told the Lakeside News.
Christy Cantrell has been working with Val Jones of Ajijic, who has Robert Cantrell’s power of attorney to conduct a search in Cancun. Robert Cantrell’s daughter and a close friend from Florida have told Jacksonville media that they are conducting a separate search. Lakeside News contacted her sister and friend, Debbie Sosa. Sosa initially responded that she would be delighted to be interviewed and then stopped answering. Her sister never responded.
The location hoax occurred last week, when a man initially identified as Cantrell was seen in a store, reported to authorities. Christy received the news and quickly activated a network of Mexican residents in Cancun, which she created through social media, and they located the man, but it turned out to be someone else.
On the other hand, Christy has received and sent to the Lakeside News a copy of Catrell’s last phone call, a voicemail that he left with his ex-wife, just after landing at the Cancun airport. In the message he says that he had: “lost my wallet, my passport…everything, and I need a return ticket to Jacksonville. I hope you get it -the message-“. He and her phone disappeared before she could answer.
However, his suitcase has recently arrived at her Jacksonville home, sent there by the airline, after he failed to claim it. Christy wonders how he could lose everything before he even got the baggage claim and why he didn’t pick up his bag. She is especially concerned that the next sighting occurred nine days later, when he was found in the Benito Juárez neighborhood – one of the most dangerous in Cancún – wandering around in a daze and in his underwear. She has redoubled her efforts to find him.
Yes, Val and I are working very hard on the search. We have been able to access his bank accounts and determine that no money was withdrawn, which may mean he was not met with foul play or no money, or both… we just don’t know,” Christy told the Lakeside News, adding that people in his Cancun network are driving around town every day looking for him and putting up posters. There is a reward of 20 thousand pesos for whoever takes it to the Red Cross in Cancun, no questions asked.
Christy also strongly denied that the disappearance of her uncle made her feel that Mexico is unsafe. “This is an unusual situation. Mexico is safe and the people are very generous and helpful. I want to dispel any idea that Mexico is dangerous,” she told the Lakeside News.
The last time she saw Robert Cantrell II was a month ago. Christy and Jones have a photo of the paramedics who treated him and him giving a thumbs up sign, as a sign of being okay, but according to Christy it wasn’t his condition. Since then, despite members of Christy’s network systematically checking homeless shelters, drug rehab clinics and police stations, he has not been seen.
Anyone who is in Cancun and sees him is asked to, if possible, take it to the Red Cross or contact the Attorney General’s Office or the Quintana Roo Missing Persons Commission at 998-881 7150 ext 2130.
Source: Semanario Laguna
