No leads after three years since Elizabeth Salgado went missing
Rosemberg Salgado listens to a question from the press during the press conference for his niece, Elizabeth Salgado, at the Provo City Center Building on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
A missing sign for Elizabeth Salgado hangs in the window outside of the Provo City Center Building on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
Elizabeth Elena Laguna-Salgado was last seen Thursday, April 16, 2015.
Provo police Sgt. Nisha King listens to a question from the press during the press conference for Elizabeth Salgado at the Provo City Center Building on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
From left, Ed Smart and Rosenberg Salgado speak during the press conference for Elizabeth Salgado, who has been missing for three years, at the Provo City Council Chambers on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
Mackay Smith, a friend of Elizabeth Salgado, speaks during the press conference at the Provo City Council Chambers on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
Lt. Brian Taylor, left, takes notes as Rosemberg Salgado listens to an attendee of the press conference for Elizabeth Salgado at the Provo City Council Chambers on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Provo.
She is known by her family as Elenita, but her friends and the public know her as Elizabeth Salgado. The last time they have been able to call her by her name was three years ago.
On Friday during a press conference, her uncle Rosemberg Salgado and Ed Smart, with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, asked again for the public to keep their eyes and ears open and their prayers continuous for her to be found.
Just after 1:30 p.m. April 16, 2015, Salgado disappeared while she was walking home from the Nomen Global Language Center where she was learning English. After thousands of hours of investigation by the Provo Police Department, and other national and international agencies, including Interpol, there are still no substantial leads in the case.
Dozens of rallies and search parties have been organized, yet the then-27-year-old woman is still gone without a trace.
“This is not a closed case,” said Sgt. Nisha King, spokeswoman for the Provo Police Department. “It is ongoing and we follow all leads worldwide. We still suspect someone has knowledge about her.”
A $50,000 reward is available for information about her whereabouts.
Salgado had recently returned from an LDS mission in Mexico and came to Provo to learn English. According to her family, she felt Provo would be a good place to live and was a safe place.
“She was very responsible, close to her family members and close to Heavenly Father,” said Rosemberg Salgado.
Rosemberg Salgado said her family continues to suffer from a lot of anxiety, stress and frustration from not finding her. He said Elizabeth’s parents’ health continues to get worse over it. There are two or three relatives in the U.S., the rest of the family is in Mexico.
Det. Nick Patterson was recently assigned to the case and said he has started from the beginning with a new eye, and still has no good leads.
“I am shocked this happened to my niece,” Rosemberg Salgado said. “Provo is a safe place. For my niece to come and disappear, I’m devastated. It’s very frustrating. I can’t explain what you feel.”
He is asking that members of the Latino community particularly become involved and not to worry about talking to the police.
“To the Latinos, don’t be afraid to talk to the police. They are worried about finding my niece Elizabeth, and not if you’re legal,” Rosemberg Salgado said.
Salgado spoke for his family with a message to the public, “We ask you to treat the case like your own family member. Share on social media. We want answers. Someone knows something.”
In the short time Elizabeth Salgado was in the United States, she made friends and was reserved but friendly. One of those friends who continue to help with the search is Mackey Smith.
“I met Elizabeth, we were in the same (church) congregation,” Smith said. “I started chatting with her. She was shy but relieved there were so many Spanish speakers. We talked about being new to the country. We lived in the same apartment complex.”
Smith continued, “She had a heart of gold. She wanted to feed all of us.”
Smith got a text from her cousin and said that is when this whole process of searching began. He admits he has even had calls from professional private detectives and what appear to be bounty hunters.
“While we don’t know where she is,” Smith said, “Someone above knows and if there is only one, I’m glad it’s him.”
Smart says he knows how important it is to have faith, not only in prayers but in the public’s abilities to spot things and people.
“One of the things we focused on was asking everyone to pray,” Smart said. “It made a difference and helped keep eyes open. The day Elizabeth (Smart) was found, she was seen by two people.”
Smart said it is important to keep Elizabeth Salgado’s face in the public eye so that if someone does see something they can contact the police.
“This family has less to go on than we did,” Smart said. “The public is a huge means of support. There is no way we’ll find her unless it’s through the public.”
If anyone has a lead or information concerning Elizabeth Salgado, they should contact Patterson at (801) 852-6328.
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