New Mexico parents continue fight for justice for son David Ortiz Jr., who they believe was murdered on Halloween night 11 years ago

It was Halloween weekend of 2010 and matters had been setting up to arrive jointly for 18-calendar year-old David Ortiz Jr.

The young father from Silver Metropolis, New Mexico experienced just been granted visitation with his then 1-12 months-old son, Joshua. And after diligent learning, he was just around the corner from the working day that he would make his GED – which transpired to be the same time his mom was earning hers.

For David, that day would never come.

“I got mine for him,” his mom, Elizabeth Ortiz, explained to Dateline tearfully. “We were intended to do it jointly. But my son was taken from me.”

It is been 11 a long time given that David Sr. and Elizabeth Ortiz past saw their son, who they lovingly get in touch with Junior. Now, with the anniversary of his disappearance this Halloween weekend, his spouse and children just wishes closure and is pleading for someone with information to arrive forward.

“It may perhaps only be a person individual who is aware of what took place, but all we require is a person,” his mother reported. “We know he’s not with us any more. “We know he was murdered that evening. And he warrants justice.”

David Jr.’s mother and father instructed Dateline it was about 5 p.m. when their son left his grandparents’ household and experienced prepared to go dangle out with mates Halloween night time. But he never confirmed up.

A cousin of David’s afterwards advised his parents that David had stopped in at the Snappy Mart on Swan Avenue, in which the cousin labored, all over 9 p.m. that evening to acquire cigarettes. It was the previous time anybody observed him.

For David to disappear without a trace designed no feeling to his spouse and children and mates. His mom and dad informed Dateline that just times previously he was granted visitation with his then 1-calendar year-old son, Joshua, right after a 12 months-prolonged custody fight with the boy’s mother.

“He was so pleased to have Joshua again in his lifestyle,” his father mentioned. “He was so happy to be a father. And he was a good father.”

David and his mother and father experienced their 1st visitation with the little one on October 30. The up coming day, he was long gone.

Just after exhausting all of their own initiatives to locate David Jr., his dad and mom documented him missing to the Silver Metropolis Police Office, on November 3.

Rumors of David’s destiny swirled in the tiny town, and his mom and dad mentioned they made absolutely sure to bring every single one just one to the police department’s awareness. They told Dateline that there had been rumors David Jr. experienced been crushed and thrown into a trunk and driven out of city or that he was buried in the Silver Metropolis landfill.

Captain Melinda Hobbs with the Silver Metropolis Police Department did not choose about David Jr.’s case until finally 2019, but she told Dateline that there have been innumerable suggestions and leads followed up on by law enforcement more than the a long time.

In November 2010, she claimed, police executed a look for warrant at a house in the 700 block of Mountain Check out Road. They searched equally the home and the residence, but found absolutely nothing.

In April 2011, performing on a different tip, they executed a research warrant at the Southwest Solid Squander Authority landfill on Ridge Street. But once more, almost nothing.

In June 2012, a further tip led them to Santa Clara, where they executed a search warrant at a house in the 100 block of South Bellm, and brought in a cadaver dog. Nevertheless no trace of David.

A different research warrant was executed at a property in the 800 block of Cell Drive, in Silver Metropolis. And in February 2017, an inmate sent a map marked with an “X” indicating human stays at a web site that led law enforcement to execute a look for warrant at a home off East Road in Santa Clara. There, they uncovered bones, but they turned out to be animal bones.

In 2020, search warrants have been executed at the residence of a individual police look at to be a human being of fascination in David’s scenario. But yet again, almost nothing was found.

The circumstance adjusted hands many periods over a long time right before landing on the desk of Melinda Hobbs. Although she was not long ago promoted to Captain, she reported she has continued to function on David’s situation.

“I knew I desired to dedicate time to his case,” she advised Dateline. “We haven’t given up. But we will need help from the general public. If somebody has information and facts, we will need them to appear ahead.”

Hobbs advised Dateline that they are managing David’s circumstance as suspicious and that they have persons in intellect who they imagine had been included in his disappearance. She extra that they are functioning on new prospects in the case, but could not remark because of to the scenario currently being open and energetic.

“We really feel like the individuals who have data are much too worried to come forward,” she additional. “But we want their help.”

David Jr.’s mother and father instructed Dateline they realize the dread men and women have in coming ahead with information. There have been also numerous persons loosely related to David Jr.’s disappearance who have ended up dead, his mother and father explained.

1 of all those was their personal daughter, David’s sister, Nichole.

Christopher Calloway, 23, was arrested and charged with murder in the taking pictures demise of Nichole Leon Ortiz, 21, in September 2012. Nichole was the mom of their toddler son, who was inside the home at the time of the taking pictures.

According to court paperwork, Calloway instructed Silver Town Police that he experienced been consuming and that he and Nichole had been arguing more than beans. He had two pistols, a .22 caliber and a .357 caliber revolver, and claimed the two were participating in Russian Roulette “to a specific extent.”

He stated he had unloaded the .357 “except one bullet” and “put the revolver to his head and pulled the result in 2 times.” He claimed Nichole then grabbed the gun, place it to her head and pulled the induce. He stated he then tried out to get the gun from her and it went off, killing her.

In November 2014, Calloway appeared ahead of Sixth Judicial Courtroom Decide J.C. Robinson and agreed to plead no contest to fees of boy or girl abuse and negligent use of a fatal weapon in trade for the condition dropping the murder demand.

David and Nichole’s mom and dad informed Dateline they consider Nichole was killed for the reason that she found out Calloway was allegedly concerned or realized an individual included in David’s loss of life.

“Silver Metropolis is a modest community,” Elizabeth mentioned. “And there is a large amount of corruption here. And if you’re on the facet of those masking issues up, you do not get in difficulty. But if you go versus them, you end up like my daughter.”

Capt. Hobbs told Dateline that there does not seem to be any link between David’s disappearance and the fatalities or other mysterious disappearances in the group. But she does feel there are folks in the group, Calloway involved, who have info about David’s disappearance. She added that the office is operating to job interview and re-interview a number of folks in the local community and folks of curiosity who are believed to be concerned.

David’s mother utilized to end by the police station typically to fulfill with investigators. The conferences have slowed considering the fact that COVID but she also thinks that not more than enough is being accomplished on her son’s circumstance.

In excess of the years, they have achieved out to other agencies to request enable investigating their son’s disappearance. But she suggests not quite a few individuals have been interested in the situation of the lacking Hispanic person who was excited to be a father and get paid his GED.

They are pushing for the state law enforcement to acquire about the scenario, so much more means can be place towards acquiring David and acquiring justice.

In the meantime, they are boosting Damian, their daughter Nichole’s son, who is now 9 yrs outdated. But they don’t have much get hold of with Joshua, David Jr.’s son, though they would like to, as they say there is stress in between the two families.

For now, they proceed to wait around and pray for somebody to come forward with information that will convey David house.

“Somebody is familiar with a little something,” Elizabeth explained. “Maybe just one man or woman. But one person is all it will take.”

Any individual with data about David’s case is requested to simply call the Silver Metropolis Police Office at (575) 538-3723.