Laura’s shoes and newspaper were found near the convenience store. Witnesses saw a worn, reddish-maroon van with a white stripe and a gray bumper parked nearby around the time Laura disappeared. One witness, who didn’t come forward until a month later, said the van’s side door was open and a man was near it.

A year later, police connected Laura’s disappearance to three men – Sorto, Cubas, and Navarro – who committed a series of robberies, rapes, and murders in Houston. Laura’s DNA was found in a vehicle the men used, along with the DNA of one of the men. Sorto and Cubas were convicted of the other crimes and sentenced to death. Navarro, a juvenile at the time, received a lesser sentence. However, there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them in Laura’s case.

Laura was a shy, organized girl who loved the color maroon and the number one. Police suspect she was a victim of foul play, but no one has ever been charged with her disappearance.