Case Details
- Photo URLs:
-
- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 03/23/2012
- Missing From:
- Missing From Columbus, Ohio
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Female
- Race:
- Race Hispanic
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 12/30/1982 (42)
- Age:
- Age 29 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 5’0 – 5’2, 155 – 165 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Hispanic female. Black hair, brown eyes. Lopez-Escobar’s ears are pierced.
- Details of Disappearance:
- On March 23, 2012, Maria Lopez-Escobar disappeared. She was last seen at 10:00 a.m. at her coworker Sar I’s apartment in Columbus, Ohio. She was driving her green 1996 Jeep Cherokee (Ohio license plate FLT6869).
Maria was a reliable employee at American Corrugated Products and hadn’t been seen since. She was originally from Mexico and had two young sons living with relatives there. She regularly contacted her family and sent them money, but all contact ceased after March 23rd.
Sar I, her coworker, also disappeared shortly after. In May 2012, he was charged with Maria’s murder, kidnapping, and abuse of a corpse. Evidence, including Maria’s blood, found in his apartment pointed to the crime happening there.
A friend said Maria and Sar I had dated, but Maria ended the relationship, and Sar I had been harassing her. He wasn’t arrested until November 2013 in Wisconsin. He confessed to killing Maria—beating her, suffocating her with a plastic bag, and disposing of her body in trash bins. He pleaded guilty and received a life sentence with no parole for at least 18 years. If released, he’ll likely be deported to Cambodia.
Because of the circumstances and Sar I’s confession, police believe Maria’s disappearance was a murder.
- Agency:
- Columbus Police Department 614-645-4545
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 03/23/2012