1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:06,367 [narrator] Kimberly Avila disappeared on May 13, 2017. 2 00:00:06,367 --> 00:00:09,166 [Ivon] We stayed until late searching and looking. 3 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:11,400 She was nowhere... 4 00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:13,867 nowhere to be found. 5 00:00:16,900 --> 00:00:19,567 [narrator] Her family is desperate for answers. 6 00:00:20,367 --> 00:00:21,867 {\an8}We need to know what happened. 7 00:00:21,867 --> 00:00:24,567 We deserve to know the answer. 8 00:00:24,567 --> 00:00:27,800 [Derick] Nobody deserves to be put into a cold case folder 9 00:00:27,867 --> 00:00:30,000 brushed off as missing until found. 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:30,100 brushed off as missing until found. 11 00:00:30,166 --> 00:00:31,000 [Ivon] We put up posters every single day. 12 00:00:33,266 --> 00:00:37,767 By next morning, majority of the posters were torn, vandalized, 13 00:00:37,767 --> 00:00:40,266 burned, only her posters. 14 00:00:42,266 --> 00:00:45,166 [Oscar] Sadly, Texas is the deadliest place 15 00:00:45,166 --> 00:00:47,467 in the United States for transwomen. 16 00:00:47,467 --> 00:00:52,900 [narrator] This episode of Disappeared retraces Kimberly's last known steps. 17 00:00:52,967 --> 00:00:57,266 I was told that Kimberly was with a man and then the last they saw 18 00:00:57,266 --> 00:00:59,667 was her getting pushed into a car that was driven 19 00:00:59,667 --> 00:01:00,000 by somebody else off into the dark night. 20 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,000 by somebody else off into the dark night. 21 00:01:03,567 --> 00:01:05,867 [Ivon] I'm not giving up. 22 00:01:05,867 --> 00:01:11,166 We're not giving up because we love her very much. 23 00:01:11,867 --> 00:01:13,100 I just... 24 00:01:13,867 --> 00:01:16,000 just want her home. 25 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,467 [narrator] The more people who know Kimberly's story, 26 00:01:18,467 --> 00:01:21,166 the greater the chance of bringing her home. 27 00:01:21,166 --> 00:01:23,300 Share on social media. 28 00:01:23,367 --> 00:01:25,200 Get the word out. 29 00:01:25,266 --> 00:01:26,967 Help find her. 30 00:01:26,967 --> 00:01:29,300 {\an8}Have you seen Kimberly Avila? 31 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,667 [Ivon] My name is Ivon Rodarte Avila. 32 00:01:52,467 --> 00:01:54,867 I'm Kimberly Avila's sister. 33 00:01:54,867 --> 00:01:58,867 Kimberly disappeared on May 13, 2017. 34 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:00,000 She was only 32 years old. 35 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,000 She was only 32 years old. 36 00:02:09,066 --> 00:02:11,100 [Ivon] Kimberly was getting ready to go out. 37 00:02:12,767 --> 00:02:14,967 I think she was going to go to a club. 38 00:02:14,967 --> 00:02:19,100 She had her makeup on, listening to music and dancing. 39 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,767 Around maybe 2:00, 2:30 in the morning. 40 00:02:23,767 --> 00:02:26,367 She said, "Hey, you know what, let's go. 41 00:02:26,367 --> 00:02:27,867 Give me a ride downtown." 42 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:30,000 {\an8}And I was like, "It's already late." 43 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,000 {\an8}And I was like, "It's already late." 44 00:02:32,266 --> 00:02:33,500 {\an8}"Well, I'm already ready." 45 00:02:33,567 --> 00:02:35,767 {\an8}You know, she was the type of, "I'm ready." 46 00:02:35,767 --> 00:02:38,867 I'm like, "Well, why don't you just go out tomorrow?" 47 00:02:38,867 --> 00:02:39,967 "Nope." 48 00:02:40,900 --> 00:02:43,867 [Ivon] She was very sassy sometimes. 49 00:02:43,867 --> 00:02:47,700 And, you know, I remember so clear that she was like, "Look at me. 50 00:02:47,767 --> 00:02:51,400 I didn't get ready like this to stay home." 51 00:02:51,467 --> 00:02:57,500 [Ivon] My brother Ramiro or Junior was born male, but she dressed as a woman 52 00:02:57,567 --> 00:03:00,000 on weekends, going by the name of Kimberly. 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:00,166 on weekends, going by the name of Kimberly. 54 00:03:00,166 --> 00:03:01,000 That's what made her happy. 55 00:03:01,867 --> 00:03:03,767 So we accepted it. 56 00:03:03,767 --> 00:03:08,000 We knew when he was growing up that he was gay 57 00:03:09,467 --> 00:03:12,800 because he would like to get my mom's shoes 58 00:03:12,867 --> 00:03:15,767 and her high heels, dressing up. 59 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,166 He was in middle school when he first came out. 60 00:03:20,166 --> 00:03:22,166 My youngest brother would play with cars. 61 00:03:22,166 --> 00:03:23,467 He would play with my dolls. 62 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:28,800 So, we knew, you know, that he was gay. 63 00:03:29,867 --> 00:03:30,000 [Ivon] He didn't have to worry about anything. 64 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,000 [Ivon] He didn't have to worry about anything. 65 00:03:32,667 --> 00:03:36,467 We weren't going to change him or trade him for anything in the world. 66 00:03:36,467 --> 00:03:39,166 He could be, you know, himself. 67 00:03:39,166 --> 00:03:43,266 And that's when, you know, he was at peace. 68 00:03:48,166 --> 00:03:49,767 [Noe] My name is Noe Avila. 69 00:03:49,767 --> 00:03:54,367 I am 34 years old and I am the youngest out of the Avila family. 70 00:03:56,367 --> 00:04:00,000 Kimberly was a great sister to everyone, 71 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,000 Kimberly was a great sister to everyone, 72 00:04:01,100 --> 00:04:03,400 but he was also 73 00:04:03,467 --> 00:04:05,266 a little bit of a brother to me. 74 00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:12,800 So to me, he was Junior and to our family he was Junior. 75 00:04:12,867 --> 00:04:17,266 {\an8}But to the friends and other families that are not living 76 00:04:17,266 --> 00:04:19,367 {\an8}in our household, he was Kimberly. 77 00:04:20,266 --> 00:04:21,767 He was in a loving home. 78 00:04:21,767 --> 00:04:23,767 He loved each and every one of us. 79 00:04:24,967 --> 00:04:27,066 As far as the family, nothing changed. 80 00:04:27,066 --> 00:04:30,000 My father, he's an old-school guy, you know, 81 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,000 he's one of those macho type of guys, and he always supported my brother. 82 00:04:35,166 --> 00:04:39,100 [Ivon] We had a very good relationship when we were growing up. 83 00:04:39,100 --> 00:04:40,767 We'd play hide and seek. 84 00:04:40,767 --> 00:04:43,367 That's like one of the major things that he would love 85 00:04:43,367 --> 00:04:46,266 to do because he would hide very good. 86 00:04:46,266 --> 00:04:47,634 He's very competitive. 87 00:04:47,634 --> 00:04:52,667 He would always beat us, but he was a caring type of person, 88 00:04:52,667 --> 00:04:55,300 very bubbly type of person. 89 00:04:55,367 --> 00:04:57,166 {\an8}She was just happy all the time. 90 00:04:57,166 --> 00:05:00,000 {\an8}Her thing was just music, dancing. 91 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:00,467 {\an8}Her thing was just music, dancing. 92 00:05:00,467 --> 00:05:01,000 {\an8}She would say, "I'm just gender fluid. 93 00:05:03,467 --> 00:05:09,667 You know, I'm one person here and then the other when I'm out there." 94 00:05:14,266 --> 00:05:17,467 [Ivon] And so that night, it was a Friday, so she was ready to go out. 95 00:05:17,467 --> 00:05:18,967 That's when she said, 96 00:05:18,967 --> 00:05:21,066 "Give me a ride downtown and I'll see you in the morning." 97 00:05:21,066 --> 00:05:25,266 So I said bye to my mom and my aunts and everybody, and we got in the truck. 98 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:30,000 On our way to downtown, she was very happy, you know, 99 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,000 On our way to downtown, she was very happy, you know, 100 00:05:31,867 --> 00:05:33,767 listening to music and dancing. 101 00:05:35,567 --> 00:05:39,600 This is where I dropped her off the early morning of May 13, 102 00:05:39,667 --> 00:05:41,600 like around 2:45 in the morning. 103 00:05:41,667 --> 00:05:43,567 I told her, "I'll see you in the morning." 104 00:05:44,967 --> 00:05:50,900 But I drove around three times before I left when I dropped her off 105 00:05:50,967 --> 00:05:53,900 because I had this feeling that something was going to happen. 106 00:05:53,967 --> 00:05:57,567 And I told her, "Let's go and you can come back tomorrow." 107 00:05:57,567 --> 00:05:59,400 She said, "There's a lot of people out here. 108 00:05:59,467 --> 00:06:00,000 I'm not going to be here alone," 109 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:00,767 I'm not going to be here alone," 110 00:06:00,767 --> 00:06:01,000 which there was a lot of people out there. 111 00:06:03,867 --> 00:06:07,300 And I said, "Come on, let's go, you know, I'll bring you tomorrow." 112 00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:09,667 She was like, "I'll just be here for a little while. 113 00:06:09,667 --> 00:06:11,066 I'll see you in the morning." 114 00:06:11,066 --> 00:06:12,567 And I said, "Are you sure?" 115 00:06:12,567 --> 00:06:13,567 She's like, "Yeah." 116 00:06:16,166 --> 00:06:18,367 I went home to wait for her and she never... 117 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:20,800 she never came home. 118 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,000 [Noe] When I woke up the morning of May 13, 119 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:30,667 [Noe] When I woke up the morning of May 13, 120 00:06:30,667 --> 00:06:31,000 that's when I started talking to my mom, she... 121 00:06:32,767 --> 00:06:35,767 she relayed the message that Kimberly wasn't returning 122 00:06:35,767 --> 00:06:38,166 the phone calls, did not arrive at home. 123 00:06:38,166 --> 00:06:40,266 Something completely out of the ordinary. 124 00:06:42,867 --> 00:06:44,367 [Ivon] She never missed coming home. 125 00:06:45,567 --> 00:06:49,266 She would call... [indistinct] 126 00:06:49,266 --> 00:06:52,867 My mom called me and said, "Are you sure she's not at your house?" 127 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:55,033 She's like, "No." 128 00:06:55,033 --> 00:06:59,467 And I told my mom, you know, "Let me know when she gets home, you know." 129 00:06:59,467 --> 00:07:00,000 So I waited. 130 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,000 So I waited. 131 00:07:03,100 --> 00:07:06,900 My mom kept calling me every hour, "There's something wrong." 132 00:07:08,467 --> 00:07:12,567 I called every single hospital, you know, asking for her to see 133 00:07:12,567 --> 00:07:14,266 if there was any information on her. 134 00:07:15,100 --> 00:07:16,567 I gave the description. 135 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,100 I was going right into a panic mode. 136 00:07:22,467 --> 00:07:26,767 And there was a patrol car right behind Porter High School 137 00:07:26,767 --> 00:07:29,166 in the driveway and I stopped, and I... 138 00:07:29,166 --> 00:07:30,000 you know, I told the officer, you know, it's just what's going on. 139 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,000 you know, I told the officer, you know, it's just what's going on. 140 00:07:32,767 --> 00:07:38,166 And he's like, "I'm already making the report of a missing person." 141 00:07:43,166 --> 00:07:45,000 My name is Derick Garcia. 142 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,500 I'm the morning news anchor over here at CBS 4 News in the Rio Grande Valley. 143 00:07:48,567 --> 00:07:50,767 I've been reporting in the Brownsville area 144 00:07:50,767 --> 00:07:54,266 that's right on the southern border of Texas and Mexico. 145 00:07:54,266 --> 00:07:57,100 Brownsville is deeply rooted in Hispanic culture. 146 00:07:57,166 --> 00:07:58,900 Religion plays a big role here. 147 00:07:58,967 --> 00:08:00,000 {\an8}Because so many people in Brownsville are Catholic, 148 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,000 {\an8}Because so many people in Brownsville are Catholic, 149 00:08:01,266 --> 00:08:04,600 {\an8}it is difficult for members of the LGBTQ community. 150 00:08:04,667 --> 00:08:07,867 Some who have come out have been rejected by their families 151 00:08:07,867 --> 00:08:11,500 and others still have yet to come out because of that fear of being 152 00:08:11,567 --> 00:08:14,300 rejected from their family because the Catholic religion 153 00:08:14,367 --> 00:08:18,000 and previous generations are just so deeply against it. 154 00:08:22,367 --> 00:08:25,000 [Oscar] My name is Oscar Lopez. 155 00:08:25,066 --> 00:08:30,000 I run a nonprofit called Poderosos to draw attention to the border communities. 156 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:30,500 I run a nonprofit called Poderosos to draw attention to the border communities. 157 00:08:32,166 --> 00:08:34,900 Brownsville is homophobic and transphobic. 158 00:08:34,967 --> 00:08:38,367 {\an8}So the fact that the Brownsville Police Department actually took 159 00:08:38,367 --> 00:08:41,867 {\an8}the information and started a file is important to note 160 00:08:41,867 --> 00:08:44,800 because people just don't disappear. 161 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:49,600 So Brownsville PD stepped up there, 162 00:08:49,667 --> 00:08:53,367 the police chief, the officers were respectful. 163 00:08:53,367 --> 00:08:57,300 They took the report down really early into the investigation 164 00:08:57,367 --> 00:08:59,967 and started looking into the case. 165 00:08:59,967 --> 00:09:00,000 In my opinion, historically, the Brownsville PD hasn't always stepped up 166 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,000 In my opinion, historically, the Brownsville PD hasn't always stepped up 167 00:09:03,767 --> 00:09:06,467 to help the LGBTQ+ community. 168 00:09:06,467 --> 00:09:12,100 So I was really impressed initially because they were very responsive to the family. 169 00:09:15,867 --> 00:09:17,266 [Ivon] It was a Saturday. 170 00:09:17,266 --> 00:09:18,767 So they told me that I had to wait 171 00:09:18,767 --> 00:09:20,767 for Monday to speak to a detective. 172 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,667 In the afternoon, we all went downtown and... 173 00:09:25,700 --> 00:09:27,000 we went searching. 174 00:09:28,567 --> 00:09:30,000 We walked the streets of downtown for at least an hour. 175 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,000 We walked the streets of downtown for at least an hour. 176 00:09:33,567 --> 00:09:35,266 It was actually my whole family. 177 00:09:37,467 --> 00:09:40,567 [Oscar] The area where Kimberly went missing Washington Street 178 00:09:40,567 --> 00:09:44,000 and 12th is closer to the International Bridge. 179 00:09:45,767 --> 00:09:48,867 The lighting was pretty bad. 180 00:09:48,867 --> 00:09:53,667 If you have two whole blocks of deserted buildings, that means there's no lights 181 00:09:53,667 --> 00:09:57,767 outside of them or inside of them that anybody walking by would feel safer. 182 00:10:02,367 --> 00:10:05,767 [Ivon] I haven't been here in a while, but everything... 183 00:10:05,767 --> 00:10:07,166 a lot has changed. 184 00:10:07,166 --> 00:10:08,767 There's a lot of lights now. 185 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:13,000 So I was checking to see maybe, you know, something had happened 186 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,667 in that place, and I could see something that she would have 187 00:10:16,667 --> 00:10:19,000 in her purse and maybe it was dropped. 188 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:23,867 It's one of the very first places where I went to look. 189 00:10:23,867 --> 00:10:26,200 There's a huge trashcan that used to be there. 190 00:10:26,266 --> 00:10:30,000 And my kids and I dug to see maybe something that would tell us 191 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:30,567 And my kids and I dug to see maybe something that would tell us 192 00:10:30,567 --> 00:10:31,000 that something had happened there. 193 00:10:32,066 --> 00:10:33,166 But nothing. 194 00:10:33,166 --> 00:10:34,200 We found nothing. 195 00:10:34,266 --> 00:10:35,467 She was nowhere. 196 00:10:36,567 --> 00:10:38,333 Nowhere to be found. 197 00:10:43,867 --> 00:10:49,266 You know, we stayed until late searching and looking for every alley downtown. 198 00:10:49,266 --> 00:10:50,567 So we went home. 199 00:10:51,867 --> 00:10:53,500 We went home and... 200 00:10:56,367 --> 00:10:57,667 and waited. 201 00:11:00,967 --> 00:11:01,000 Monday, we spoke to a detective. 202 00:11:03,900 --> 00:11:06,066 Her name is Melissa Gonzalez. 203 00:11:06,066 --> 00:11:10,166 She's like, "But do you specifically know 204 00:11:10,166 --> 00:11:11,600 what she was doing down there?" 205 00:11:11,667 --> 00:11:13,100 No, I don't. 206 00:11:13,100 --> 00:11:14,800 You know, that day, I don't know what she was doing. 207 00:11:14,867 --> 00:11:20,467 That's when she said, you know, that she's gonna be the detective in the case, 208 00:11:20,467 --> 00:11:23,400 that it was a missing person case that, they're going 209 00:11:23,467 --> 00:11:27,000 to keep us posted and updated and... and go from there. 210 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:30,000 There was a reward issued from the police department for $1,000. 211 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,000 There was a reward issued from the police department for $1,000. 212 00:11:33,266 --> 00:11:35,100 They set up the hotline. 213 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:39,600 You know, if anybody had any clues or anybody had seen her, 214 00:11:39,667 --> 00:11:41,667 you know, to go ahead and call. 215 00:11:41,667 --> 00:11:43,467 {\an8}[Melissa] If you know anything about this case, 216 00:11:43,467 --> 00:11:47,767 {\an8}call Brownsville Crime Stoppers at 546-T-I-P-S. 217 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,300 [Derick] We started learning about Kimberly Avila pretty early on, 218 00:11:52,367 --> 00:11:55,000 even before police had gone public. 219 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,200 The family had reached out to us hoping that they could get answers. 220 00:11:59,266 --> 00:12:00,000 Members of the trans community are no stranger to violence and sadly, 221 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:01,000 Members of the trans community are no stranger to violence and sadly, 222 00:12:02,767 --> 00:12:07,100 we live in an area where if you check those boxes that Kimberly checks, 223 00:12:07,166 --> 00:12:09,266 something could happen to you. 224 00:12:09,266 --> 00:12:12,867 For us as journalists, here's a family that is begging for answers 225 00:12:12,867 --> 00:12:16,100 and that's our responsibility as journalists is to find them. 226 00:12:16,166 --> 00:12:18,467 {\an8}A Brownsville man disappears without a trace. 227 00:12:18,467 --> 00:12:20,700 {\an8}Police are now turning to the public for help. 228 00:12:20,767 --> 00:12:24,100 {\an8}Due to the proximity with Mexico, it's protocol for Brownsville police 229 00:12:24,166 --> 00:12:27,066 {\an8}to check surveillance video at the International Bridges. 230 00:12:27,066 --> 00:12:30,000 {\an8}Investigators have been reviewing video of people crossing since this weekend. 231 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,000 {\an8}Investigators have been reviewing video of people crossing since this weekend. 232 00:12:31,867 --> 00:12:33,667 {\an8}Still no leads on Avila. 233 00:12:33,667 --> 00:12:36,667 Police say, every missing persons case is different, 234 00:12:36,667 --> 00:12:38,867 but in every one, time is a factor. 235 00:12:38,867 --> 00:12:40,266 {\an8}We have very little information. 236 00:12:40,300 --> 00:12:43,367 {\an8}We don't... we don't have any indication to say that something... 237 00:12:43,367 --> 00:12:44,967 {\an8}there was any type of foul play. 238 00:12:44,967 --> 00:12:46,266 [indistinct radio chatter] 239 00:12:47,567 --> 00:12:50,367 [Noe] The initial response from the police department, 240 00:12:50,367 --> 00:12:54,100 I definitely was optimistic that, you know, these guys are... 241 00:12:54,166 --> 00:12:56,367 they're going to get it done. 242 00:12:56,367 --> 00:12:59,066 Anybody working a case similar to this anywhere in the country 243 00:12:59,066 --> 00:13:00,000 would very quickly want to look at phone records. 244 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,000 would very quickly want to look at phone records. 245 00:13:02,867 --> 00:13:05,367 And that was the case with the Brownsville PD. 246 00:13:05,367 --> 00:13:09,166 Kimberly had a phone that was not in service. 247 00:13:09,166 --> 00:13:11,367 She would use it to take pictures, 248 00:13:11,367 --> 00:13:15,266 but the phone that she had with her was not in service. 249 00:13:15,266 --> 00:13:17,567 It was disconnected. 250 00:13:17,567 --> 00:13:21,100 Unfortunately, with Kimberly's case she had no real digital trail. 251 00:13:21,100 --> 00:13:24,800 So the police told us that they ran into dead ends very early on. 252 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,600 I walked the streets every single day. 253 00:13:36,266 --> 00:13:40,266 I would get out of my house like around midnight and would go home like, 254 00:13:40,266 --> 00:13:42,066 around 4:00 o'clock in the morning. 255 00:13:42,066 --> 00:13:45,266 Walking to see maybe I would see her and to see him, maybe, 256 00:13:45,266 --> 00:13:47,767 you know, somebody would bring her out. 257 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:53,967 And I always went home empty-handed with nothing at all. 258 00:14:04,266 --> 00:14:06,000 [woman 1 speaking in foreign language] 259 00:14:07,066 --> 00:14:09,767 [woman 2 speaking in foreign language] 260 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:13,266 [woman 1 speaking in foreign language] 261 00:14:15,567 --> 00:14:19,500 [Noe] The last time I saw Kimberly, it was May 12. 262 00:14:19,567 --> 00:14:22,567 {\an8}We were having a late dinner with some family members 263 00:14:22,567 --> 00:14:24,266 {\an8}that came from Mexico to visit us. 264 00:14:26,066 --> 00:14:28,000 [Ivon] When my family comes over from Mexico, 265 00:14:28,066 --> 00:14:28,337 you know, we all gather and we play Loteria. 266 00:14:28,337 --> 00:14:29,000 you know, we all gather and we play Loteria. 267 00:14:31,367 --> 00:14:34,767 [Noe] It's like bingo, but with a different type of characters, 268 00:14:34,767 --> 00:14:38,567 you know, like a mermaid or the sun, the moon, you know. 269 00:14:38,567 --> 00:14:42,467 Loteria is definitely a tradition for Mexican people, you know. 270 00:14:43,867 --> 00:14:46,667 You have to play that, otherwise you're not Mexican. 271 00:14:48,467 --> 00:14:51,367 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 272 00:14:51,367 --> 00:14:53,266 [woman speaking in foreign language] 273 00:14:56,500 --> 00:14:58,337 {\an8}[Elvira speaking in foreign language] 274 00:14:58,337 --> 00:14:58,767 {\an8}[Elvira speaking in foreign language] 275 00:15:32,367 --> 00:15:34,700 {\an8}[Ramiro speaking in foreign language] 276 00:15:54,166 --> 00:15:56,166 [Samantha] My name is Samantha Montemayor. 277 00:15:57,967 --> 00:15:58,337 {\an8}In the Rio Grande Valley, I was with GENTex, a trans-led organization 278 00:15:58,337 --> 00:15:59,000 {\an8}In the Rio Grande Valley, I was with GENTex, a trans-led organization 279 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:08,500 and also a community leader and activists 280 00:16:08,567 --> 00:16:12,367 within the community of the Rio Grande Valley. 281 00:16:12,367 --> 00:16:18,166 The first time I met Kimberly, we were at a club, and I remember her. 282 00:16:18,166 --> 00:16:23,367 She was always smiling and making jokes. 283 00:16:23,367 --> 00:16:28,000 I feel that Kimberly was honored to have the parents she had, 284 00:16:28,066 --> 00:16:28,337 the siblings that she has because they've been so supportive. 285 00:16:28,337 --> 00:16:29,000 the siblings that she has because they've been so supportive. 286 00:16:34,367 --> 00:16:37,066 Brownsville or the Rio Grande Valley, 287 00:16:37,066 --> 00:16:41,000 it's different than any other part in the state of Texas. 288 00:16:41,066 --> 00:16:43,066 We're ten years behind on everything. 289 00:16:44,567 --> 00:16:48,200 [Noe] We're still living in a world with discrimination, 290 00:16:48,266 --> 00:16:50,300 you know, sometimes it was extremely 291 00:16:50,367 --> 00:16:53,567 challenging because of the lifestyle that he had. 292 00:16:53,567 --> 00:16:57,567 Something as simple as going to the store and him, you know, 293 00:16:57,567 --> 00:16:58,337 just the way he walks or his personality, he was very open, very blunt. 294 00:16:58,337 --> 00:16:59,000 just the way he walks or his personality, he was very open, very blunt. 295 00:17:03,567 --> 00:17:04,767 But I... I did... 296 00:17:04,767 --> 00:17:07,667 we did encounter a lot of different situations 297 00:17:07,667 --> 00:17:10,467 where they used to try to bully him. 298 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,066 Unfortunate. 299 00:17:14,467 --> 00:17:17,166 {\an8}There's a lot of people out there that are closed-minded, 300 00:17:17,166 --> 00:17:19,100 {\an8}that don't understand, you know? 301 00:17:24,667 --> 00:17:28,337 {\an8}Until our whole community can feel safe and blossom 302 00:17:28,337 --> 00:17:29,000 {\an8}Until our whole community can feel safe and blossom 303 00:17:29,266 --> 00:17:33,266 and have full-time employment and housing, I'm sorry, 304 00:17:33,266 --> 00:17:36,800 we're still a really homophobic, transphobic region 305 00:17:36,867 --> 00:17:39,567 that needs to be called out. 306 00:17:39,567 --> 00:17:44,066 So we joke around the Rio Grande Valley, which is where Brownsville 307 00:17:44,066 --> 00:17:47,000 is located, that when people want to move away 308 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,000 from here because they want to go to the big city 309 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,300 and experience that life and have more opportunities 310 00:17:52,367 --> 00:17:57,600 for school and work and just joy and culture and things of that nature, 311 00:17:57,667 --> 00:17:58,337 they turn to San Antonio, which we kind of all laugh 312 00:17:58,337 --> 00:17:59,000 they turn to San Antonio, which we kind of all laugh 313 00:18:00,567 --> 00:18:02,867 at because it's just like the border, but bigger. 314 00:18:04,667 --> 00:18:10,200 Sadly, Texas is the deadliest place in the United States for trans women. 315 00:18:10,266 --> 00:18:12,467 We are number one for the amount of women 316 00:18:12,467 --> 00:18:14,367 who get killed to our trans in our state. 317 00:18:21,767 --> 00:18:26,200 Two days after he went missing and the police opened up the case of a missing person, 318 00:18:26,266 --> 00:18:28,337 we started to put up flyers. 319 00:18:28,337 --> 00:18:28,367 we started to put up flyers. 320 00:18:30,066 --> 00:18:34,166 Myself, all our family members and even friends started 321 00:18:34,166 --> 00:18:38,200 to help us place flyers all over downtown. 322 00:18:38,266 --> 00:18:41,100 {\an8}[Melissa] These are some of the latest posters Elvira Avila 323 00:18:41,166 --> 00:18:46,000 {\an8}has posted on trees, walls, and storefronts around downtown Brownsville. 324 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,867 The picture of her son Ramiro Avila, also known as Kimberly. 325 00:18:49,867 --> 00:18:55,867 [Oscar] Right about May 16th, my staff and I noticed posters in our downtown area 326 00:18:55,867 --> 00:18:58,337 with the image of Ramiro and Kimberly and basically asking that anybody 327 00:18:58,337 --> 00:18:59,000 with the image of Ramiro and Kimberly and basically asking that anybody 328 00:19:01,767 --> 00:19:04,367 who had information to please call their number and to tell them 329 00:19:04,367 --> 00:19:08,767 about their whereabouts, and we haven't stopped working with them since. 330 00:19:14,967 --> 00:19:17,767 {\an8}We put up posters every single day. 331 00:19:17,767 --> 00:19:22,867 {\an8}By the next morning, majority of the posters were torn, vandalized, burned. 332 00:19:23,767 --> 00:19:25,867 Only her posters. 333 00:19:25,867 --> 00:19:28,337 There's a lot of posters up on the walls and only hers were damaged, 334 00:19:28,337 --> 00:19:29,000 There's a lot of posters up on the walls and only hers were damaged, 335 00:19:29,066 --> 00:19:33,166 only hers were torn, only hers were vandalized, you know, 336 00:19:33,166 --> 00:19:35,467 with a whole bunch of graffiti on her picture. 337 00:19:37,066 --> 00:19:40,567 That made us just want to come back more and more and more to see, 338 00:19:40,567 --> 00:19:43,266 you know, maybe who did that to maybe 339 00:19:43,266 --> 00:19:45,166 catch the person that was doing that. 340 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,700 I had people follow me when I was putting up flyers. 341 00:19:50,767 --> 00:19:55,367 When we would put up flyers, my family and I, we would see strange cars, 342 00:19:55,367 --> 00:19:58,337 you know, just following us street after street, you know, 343 00:19:58,337 --> 00:19:58,600 you know, just following us street after street, you know, 344 00:19:58,667 --> 00:19:59,000 just watching what we were doing. 345 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:03,266 It was scary. 346 00:20:04,266 --> 00:20:06,266 It was hard. 347 00:20:13,367 --> 00:20:17,667 [Derick] A lot of questions being raised about why those flyers were being ripped off. 348 00:20:19,667 --> 00:20:22,166 {\an8}Is this the person who knows what happened to Kimberly? 349 00:20:22,967 --> 00:20:24,467 {\an8}Was this a person who was with her? 350 00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:29,600 {\an8}[Oscar] There was one gentleman who was caught on camera 351 00:20:29,667 --> 00:20:35,000 {\an8}defacing a lot of the flyers on multiple locations but when the police 352 00:20:35,066 --> 00:20:36,667 did stop them, questioned them, 353 00:20:36,667 --> 00:20:37,748 they determined that he was not a threat. 354 00:20:37,748 --> 00:20:38,000 they determined that he was not a threat. 355 00:20:39,867 --> 00:20:43,567 That was potentially a lead that police were looking into. 356 00:20:43,567 --> 00:20:46,800 But ultimately, that lead came to a dead end also. 357 00:20:46,867 --> 00:20:51,367 {\an8}[Ivon] The detective said that there's a lot of homeless people downtown 358 00:20:51,367 --> 00:20:54,467 {\an8}and there's a lot of, you know, mentally ill people. 359 00:20:54,467 --> 00:20:56,233 {\an8}So they would blame them. 360 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,867 [Derick] About a week after her disappearance, a tip came in that Kimberly 361 00:21:00,867 --> 00:21:03,900 may have been a sex worker in the downtown area. 362 00:21:03,967 --> 00:21:06,000 Police didn't confirm that but when we went 363 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,748 to her family, they told us the truth. 364 00:21:07,748 --> 00:21:08,000 to her family, they told us the truth. 365 00:21:10,900 --> 00:21:14,867 Being a sex worker definitely heightened the level of danger 366 00:21:14,867 --> 00:21:16,700 of what may or may not have happened to her. 367 00:21:21,166 --> 00:21:25,200 {\an8}I've always heard rumors, you know, online and stuff like that 368 00:21:25,266 --> 00:21:28,400 {\an8}but it's something that I've never seen. 369 00:21:29,867 --> 00:21:32,867 [Ivon] They say that she was doing the sex work. 370 00:21:32,867 --> 00:21:34,200 Yes. 371 00:21:34,266 --> 00:21:37,100 You know, it was something that he did not like to talk about. 372 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,467 But I'm not denying it. 373 00:21:41,467 --> 00:21:45,867 I just can't tell you what she was doing out there. 374 00:21:45,867 --> 00:21:47,567 [Derick] At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. 375 00:21:47,567 --> 00:21:54,000 No one deserves to be abducted, killed, go lost, put into a cold case folder 376 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:59,100 or just brushed off as missing until found and then ultimately forgotten. 377 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,667 Nobody deserves to be forgotten. 378 00:22:01,667 --> 00:22:05,400 [Oscar] It's very hard for our trans women in particular to get 379 00:22:05,467 --> 00:22:07,748 meaningful employment and maintain it, so transactional sex 380 00:22:07,748 --> 00:22:08,000 meaningful employment and maintain it, so transactional sex 381 00:22:10,367 --> 00:22:14,266 is much more common because there aren't really any options. 382 00:22:16,266 --> 00:22:21,867 If you identify as female but you were assigned male at birth, 383 00:22:21,867 --> 00:22:28,000 often you want to be acknowledged as a female desperately. 384 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,266 For them, it's also an affirming thing to go out 385 00:22:30,266 --> 00:22:32,367 and do sex work, because not only do you like me, 386 00:22:32,367 --> 00:22:34,266 but you're willing to pay me. 387 00:22:43,667 --> 00:22:46,767 [woman] Kimberly is my best friend. 388 00:22:46,767 --> 00:22:51,667 The last time I saw Kimberly was like, a month before she disappeared. 389 00:22:52,500 --> 00:22:53,700 She was super fun. 390 00:22:53,767 --> 00:22:56,000 She was like always... 391 00:22:56,066 --> 00:22:57,200 she was the nice person. 392 00:22:57,266 --> 00:23:00,066 She used to give everything to anybody like. 393 00:23:00,066 --> 00:23:03,166 You wanted something, here it is, you can keep it. 394 00:23:03,166 --> 00:23:07,748 Then she became a sex worker, mainly to help herself to get some extra money for herself. 395 00:23:07,748 --> 00:23:08,000 Then she became a sex worker, mainly to help herself to get some extra money for herself. 396 00:23:09,467 --> 00:23:14,166 We used to talk about it, but it's like I'm no one to judge. 397 00:23:14,166 --> 00:23:16,000 So we all of our friends, we used to tell her, like, 398 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,567 "Hey, you know, just be careful out there, you know? 399 00:23:19,567 --> 00:23:21,767 I mean, yeah, you know, just be careful 'cause 400 00:23:21,767 --> 00:23:23,166 you never know what can happen" 401 00:23:23,166 --> 00:23:25,867 'cause everybody knows how everything here downtown is. 402 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,467 Yeah, it's... it's downtown. 403 00:23:33,467 --> 00:23:36,700 It's really dangerous and a lot of people kind of 404 00:23:36,767 --> 00:23:37,748 don't want to come to towards this side. 405 00:23:37,748 --> 00:23:38,000 don't want to come to towards this side. 406 00:23:38,166 --> 00:23:39,533 [Oscar] Yeah. 407 00:23:39,533 --> 00:23:41,467 How familiar are you with this hotel and what happens there? 408 00:23:41,467 --> 00:23:42,600 [woman] Well. 409 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:46,100 This is the hotel where all the sex workers come. 410 00:23:47,367 --> 00:23:49,567 It's two hotels, there's the one on the other side. 411 00:23:50,667 --> 00:23:52,066 They go inside-- 412 00:23:52,066 --> 00:23:53,567 [Oscar] Once they have a customer. 413 00:23:53,567 --> 00:23:55,867 [woman] As soon as they get a customer and. 414 00:23:55,867 --> 00:23:58,500 [Oscar] I mean, that makes so much sense because you pay for the room... 415 00:23:58,567 --> 00:24:00,367 -[woman] Yeah. -[Oscar] ...and then you can use-- 416 00:24:00,367 --> 00:24:01,667 [woman] Yes. 417 00:24:02,567 --> 00:24:04,567 Of course, there's a lot of violence. 418 00:24:04,567 --> 00:24:07,266 [Oscar] So sad because even when they go 419 00:24:07,266 --> 00:24:07,748 to the police and ask for help... 420 00:24:07,748 --> 00:24:08,000 to the police and ask for help... 421 00:24:09,367 --> 00:24:11,567 [woman] Police doesn't... don't do nothing. 422 00:24:19,266 --> 00:24:23,767 I believe that sex work did play a part in her disappearance, 423 00:24:23,767 --> 00:24:27,000 but police had no success in talking to other 424 00:24:27,066 --> 00:24:28,600 sex workers in Kimberly's case. 425 00:24:28,667 --> 00:24:30,266 They were afraid of the police. 426 00:24:30,266 --> 00:24:32,500 And then ultimately they were afraid of what happened 427 00:24:32,567 --> 00:24:35,467 to Kimberly could end up happening to them. 428 00:24:35,467 --> 00:24:37,748 {\an8}We know that a few weeks before Kimberly's disappearance, 429 00:24:37,748 --> 00:24:38,000 {\an8}We know that a few weeks before Kimberly's disappearance, 430 00:24:38,867 --> 00:24:42,600 {\an8}the police had arrested some of the transactional sex workers 431 00:24:42,667 --> 00:24:45,200 that worked downtown Brownsville. 432 00:24:45,266 --> 00:24:51,367 So, the girls were reluctant to talk about what had happened because 433 00:24:51,367 --> 00:24:53,767 they were afraid that they were going to be arrested, too. 434 00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:58,367 And they just shut down and they never again 435 00:24:58,367 --> 00:25:01,567 have spoken about what they may or may not have seen. 436 00:25:01,567 --> 00:25:03,800 {\an8}[Derick] Brownsville Police Department has a history of arresting 437 00:25:03,867 --> 00:25:06,500 {\an8}commercial sex workers and their clients in the downtown area. 438 00:25:06,567 --> 00:25:07,748 {\an8}It's a frayed relationship that's only harmed the investigation. 439 00:25:07,748 --> 00:25:08,000 {\an8}It's a frayed relationship that's only harmed the investigation. 440 00:25:09,967 --> 00:25:13,467 {\an8}So here from the police and then now they're coming to us for help. 441 00:25:13,467 --> 00:25:15,600 {\an8}You know, we're not going to cooperate with the police because 442 00:25:15,667 --> 00:25:18,867 {\an8}they just arrested us or people that we associate with. 443 00:25:18,867 --> 00:25:20,400 {\an8}So what do you do? 444 00:25:20,467 --> 00:25:25,100 Progress in this case has been very difficult because of this history 445 00:25:25,166 --> 00:25:28,767 of mistrust between sex workers and the police departments. 446 00:25:28,767 --> 00:25:31,000 Based off of sex workers that I've spoken to, 447 00:25:31,066 --> 00:25:33,500 they wouldn't go to police, period. 448 00:25:33,567 --> 00:25:35,500 It doesn't matter what the scenario is. 449 00:25:35,567 --> 00:25:37,748 The conversation that I've had with them is to say, "What's the point? 450 00:25:37,748 --> 00:25:38,000 The conversation that I've had with them is to say, "What's the point? 451 00:25:39,166 --> 00:25:40,367 Police aren't going to help us. 452 00:25:40,367 --> 00:25:41,767 They never have and they never will." 453 00:25:41,767 --> 00:25:44,867 So that fractured relationship between the police and sex workers 454 00:25:44,867 --> 00:25:47,266 has absolutely harmed this investigation. 455 00:25:47,266 --> 00:25:50,400 They don't want to talk to each other and they never have 456 00:25:50,467 --> 00:25:52,667 and I don't think they ever will. 457 00:25:52,667 --> 00:25:55,467 Detective Gonzalez would call us almost every day 458 00:25:55,467 --> 00:25:58,266 to let us know we have no leads. 459 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:01,667 It was very disappointing. 460 00:26:09,767 --> 00:26:12,800 So, at this point, the case is cold. 461 00:26:12,867 --> 00:26:16,500 And then, in December 2018, a new lead comes in and it doesn't come 462 00:26:16,567 --> 00:26:19,300 from the media, it doesn't come from police but instead comes 463 00:26:19,367 --> 00:26:22,266 from a blogger on the website El Rrun-Rrun. 464 00:26:24,166 --> 00:26:26,900 [Juan] My name is Juan Montoya, and I'm a journalist. 465 00:26:26,967 --> 00:26:32,467 I've been a border journalist since '78 and my first job was at the Brownsville Herald. 466 00:26:32,467 --> 00:26:35,567 Now, with the social media, I... 467 00:26:35,567 --> 00:26:37,748 I run a blogspot, like an online newspaper here. 468 00:26:37,748 --> 00:26:38,000 I run a blogspot, like an online newspaper here. 469 00:26:38,467 --> 00:26:42,867 {\an8}We pretty much cover everything from culture to crime. 470 00:26:42,867 --> 00:26:45,400 {\an8}I keep my ear close to the ground. 471 00:26:45,467 --> 00:26:48,567 [Derick] Usage of social media has absolutely helped out investigations. 472 00:26:48,567 --> 00:26:51,166 {\an8}We don't have to just wait for police to give us answers. 473 00:26:51,166 --> 00:26:54,700 Internet tipsters, people who watch us can definitely give us 474 00:26:54,767 --> 00:26:59,800 those tips, those breadcrumbs and we take all kinds of tips in a case like this seriously. 475 00:26:59,867 --> 00:27:02,367 [Juan] Brownsville is a very historical city. 476 00:27:02,367 --> 00:27:06,700 It's a very cultural city but it's also a border city, 477 00:27:06,767 --> 00:27:07,748 which implies a lot of issues contraband, crime, cartels. 478 00:27:07,748 --> 00:27:08,000 which implies a lot of issues contraband, crime, cartels. 479 00:27:17,266 --> 00:27:22,600 The underbelly of this city is contained in the little beer joints. 480 00:27:22,667 --> 00:27:24,567 They call them Cantina de la Muerte. 481 00:27:26,467 --> 00:27:29,567 Beer Joints of Death, for lack of a better term. 482 00:27:31,767 --> 00:27:35,767 Kimberly, word of her disappearance got out quickly because 483 00:27:35,767 --> 00:27:37,748 she was a regular at these places and she started 484 00:27:37,748 --> 00:27:38,000 she was a regular at these places and she started 485 00:27:38,967 --> 00:27:43,400 not showing up and her parents started asking where she was at, 486 00:27:43,467 --> 00:27:45,000 if anybody had seen her. 487 00:27:46,867 --> 00:27:50,367 The people in the street started talking about her missing 488 00:27:50,367 --> 00:27:51,867 and the picture started going up. 489 00:27:51,867 --> 00:27:53,166 I remembered, "You know what? 490 00:27:53,166 --> 00:27:54,867 I remember seeing this girl." 491 00:27:54,867 --> 00:27:58,700 And then as I started talking to people, they started telling me 492 00:27:58,767 --> 00:28:04,000 that they had seen her there at that particular bar walking out with this man. 493 00:28:05,767 --> 00:28:07,748 I was told by people that Kimberly was with a man 494 00:28:07,748 --> 00:28:08,000 I was told by people that Kimberly was with a man 495 00:28:09,767 --> 00:28:13,000 who was associated with a criminal group. 496 00:28:13,066 --> 00:28:14,667 Well, that's the person that... 497 00:28:14,667 --> 00:28:16,367 that was seen last with her. 498 00:28:16,367 --> 00:28:22,800 And I don't think that the guy actually knew that Kimberly was not a woman. 499 00:28:22,867 --> 00:28:27,700 But they bought some beer, and they were walking out the door at closing time. 500 00:28:30,500 --> 00:28:33,500 And they were getting into an argument because apparently the guy thought 501 00:28:33,567 --> 00:28:36,000 Kimberly had stolen something from him. 502 00:28:36,066 --> 00:28:37,748 And as they argue along the street, he was demanding 503 00:28:37,748 --> 00:28:38,000 And as they argue along the street, he was demanding 504 00:28:39,867 --> 00:28:43,567 something from her loudly enough to wake people up. 505 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,667 And him screaming that to give him something back. 506 00:28:52,266 --> 00:28:55,700 And then the last they saw was her getting pushed into the... 507 00:28:55,767 --> 00:28:59,767 into a car that was driven by somebody else off into the dark night. 508 00:29:07,266 --> 00:29:11,767 {\an8}[narrator] Kimberly Avila was last seen May 13, 2017. 509 00:29:14,166 --> 00:29:16,100 {\an8}If you have any information, 510 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:21,900 {\an8}please contact the Brownsville Police at 956-548-7000. 511 00:29:30,667 --> 00:29:34,867 [Juan] If the suspicions were correct, Kimberly was taken across the border. 512 00:29:35,667 --> 00:29:36,000 {\an8}The people who... 513 00:29:36,867 --> 00:29:40,700 {\an8}who told me about this person, they know who he is. 514 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:50,200 As much as I try to pry them into telling me something that could be used to solve 515 00:29:50,266 --> 00:29:55,467 the disappearance, they were not forthcoming because they would... 516 00:29:55,467 --> 00:29:57,166 they thought they would get back to them. 517 00:29:57,166 --> 00:30:00,400 Along this border, the retribution is swift. 518 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:05,493 I did go to the police with this information, 519 00:30:05,493 --> 00:30:05,967 I did go to the police with this information, 520 00:30:05,967 --> 00:30:06,000 they took it and that's the last I've ever heard of it. 521 00:30:12,967 --> 00:30:15,767 [Derick] Right across the way from Brownsville is Matamoros, 522 00:30:15,767 --> 00:30:19,200 where you have a totally different level of crime and violence, 523 00:30:19,266 --> 00:30:23,066 {\an8}rates that are vastly different from what you see in Brownsville. 524 00:30:23,066 --> 00:30:27,500 Once you cross into Mexico, who knows what happens next? 525 00:30:27,567 --> 00:30:30,767 {\an8}There was never any cooperation between Brownsville 526 00:30:30,767 --> 00:30:32,266 {\an8}and the Matamoras police. 527 00:30:32,266 --> 00:30:34,567 To this day, there's never been anybody who's gone and said, 528 00:30:34,567 --> 00:30:35,493 "This week, did you get, like, somebody unidentifiable in your morgue?" 529 00:30:35,493 --> 00:30:36,000 "This week, did you get, like, somebody unidentifiable in your morgue?" 530 00:30:40,567 --> 00:30:41,900 Nothing. 531 00:30:41,967 --> 00:30:45,967 So our faith with the police department, 532 00:30:45,967 --> 00:30:48,867 {\an8}yeah, it started not... 533 00:30:52,667 --> 00:30:55,800 ...being as good as it was at the beginning. 534 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:03,800 {\an8}I want to think that maybe they're just incapable and they can't say it. 535 00:31:07,266 --> 00:31:10,867 {\an8}New details in the disappearance of a local LGBTQ woman. 536 00:31:12,767 --> 00:31:15,467 [Derick] June 2019, another tip came in. 537 00:31:15,467 --> 00:31:19,367 And that tip must have been important for them to ask the family 538 00:31:19,367 --> 00:31:22,867 to hold a press conference at their house to bring all of us together. 539 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,300 Detective Gonzalez did ask us to do a press conference. 540 00:31:28,367 --> 00:31:32,667 There was a phone call, a tip that was made. 541 00:31:32,667 --> 00:31:35,493 This morning today, we are here with the Avila family at their residence. 542 00:31:35,493 --> 00:31:36,000 This morning today, we are here with the Avila family at their residence. 543 00:31:38,467 --> 00:31:44,100 We know that there's people who know or have information 544 00:31:44,166 --> 00:31:46,867 on the case and they chose not to come forward. 545 00:31:46,867 --> 00:31:50,667 The strange part about this whole press conference is that the police 546 00:31:50,667 --> 00:31:52,467 wouldn't tell the family what the caller said. 547 00:31:52,467 --> 00:31:57,867 They didn't want to tell us who this person was or what they said 548 00:31:57,867 --> 00:32:01,200 or any kind of descriptors that would entice them to call. 549 00:32:01,266 --> 00:32:04,700 So it had a lot of us scratching our heads saying, "What is all of this about?" 550 00:32:04,767 --> 00:32:05,493 We pushed police to answer our questions. 551 00:32:05,493 --> 00:32:06,000 We pushed police to answer our questions. 552 00:32:07,367 --> 00:32:12,066 They did not supply us with a lot of the answers to questions we were having. 553 00:32:12,066 --> 00:32:15,667 We don't know what was said because it wasn't said to us. 554 00:32:15,667 --> 00:32:19,100 We don't know if it was a male or a female that called. 555 00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:22,400 We were never told what was said on that phone call, 556 00:32:22,467 --> 00:32:24,367 why it's so important, we don't know. 557 00:32:24,367 --> 00:32:28,066 All they asked us to do was just to make that plea to the community. 558 00:32:28,066 --> 00:32:30,367 You had a reason to call that day. 559 00:32:30,367 --> 00:32:33,166 I'm begging you to call back. 560 00:32:33,166 --> 00:32:34,367 We're begging. 561 00:32:34,367 --> 00:32:35,467 I'm begging. 562 00:32:35,467 --> 00:32:35,493 Our pain is just growing more and more every day. 563 00:32:35,493 --> 00:32:36,000 Our pain is just growing more and more every day. 564 00:32:39,100 --> 00:32:41,200 It's not getting any better. 565 00:32:41,266 --> 00:32:42,567 It's getting worse. 566 00:32:43,767 --> 00:32:45,700 [Oscar] Nobody ever called back. 567 00:32:45,767 --> 00:32:51,166 So the glimmer of hope was so real for the family and then to have 568 00:32:51,166 --> 00:32:54,200 that sort of pulled out from underneath them was... 569 00:32:54,266 --> 00:32:56,066 was pretty heart... 570 00:32:56,066 --> 00:32:57,100 heart-wrenching. 571 00:33:00,767 --> 00:33:05,493 I try not to let my sister, 572 00:33:05,493 --> 00:33:05,900 I try not to let my sister, 573 00:33:05,967 --> 00:33:06,000 my father, my mom to engage in those tips/rumors. 574 00:33:13,667 --> 00:33:21,100 It only adds more sadness, more stress, you know, and then if he's not there 575 00:33:21,100 --> 00:33:23,166 and it's going to hit you twice as hard. 576 00:33:28,266 --> 00:33:31,166 [Derick] To this day, we still don't know what that caller said 577 00:33:31,166 --> 00:33:34,166 or even if that caller picked up the phone again. 578 00:33:34,166 --> 00:33:35,493 After that press conference, radio silence. 579 00:33:35,493 --> 00:33:36,000 After that press conference, radio silence. 580 00:33:38,367 --> 00:33:42,066 As time went on, we didn't get any type of updates. 581 00:33:42,066 --> 00:33:46,767 The police department, they were not returning phone calls. 582 00:33:46,767 --> 00:33:51,266 This week marks two years since a gender-fluid person was reported missing. 583 00:33:51,266 --> 00:33:55,467 {\an8}The family has criticized investigators for not doing enough. 584 00:33:55,467 --> 00:33:59,367 {\an8}There's very minimal information that has come up recently, obviously. 585 00:33:59,367 --> 00:34:02,600 {\an8}The longer it takes, the more chances that... 586 00:34:02,667 --> 00:34:04,200 {\an8}that things will get cold. 587 00:34:04,266 --> 00:34:05,493 {\an8}There's nothing concrete. 588 00:34:05,493 --> 00:34:05,567 {\an8}There's nothing concrete. 589 00:34:11,266 --> 00:34:12,800 The people who have been really keeping 590 00:34:12,867 --> 00:34:15,467 Kimberly's story alive are her family. 591 00:34:15,467 --> 00:34:19,300 They have gone to every single interviewer. 592 00:34:19,367 --> 00:34:21,967 They've gone to every single news station. 593 00:34:21,967 --> 00:34:25,667 If somebody with a camera comes up to them, they don't say no. 594 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:30,467 But also members of the trans and LGBTQ community. 595 00:34:30,467 --> 00:34:33,600 And Oscar has gone above and beyond to make sure 596 00:34:33,667 --> 00:34:35,493 that Kimberly does not end up in that cold case file column. 597 00:34:35,493 --> 00:34:36,000 that Kimberly does not end up in that cold case file column. 598 00:34:38,467 --> 00:34:42,867 My staff and I led the organizing of two events every year, 599 00:34:42,867 --> 00:34:46,500 which was a birthday celebration of life. 600 00:34:46,567 --> 00:34:50,066 We also recognize the day that she went missing as... 601 00:34:50,066 --> 00:34:54,600 as the other day that we sort of acknowledged, and we do it annually. 602 00:34:57,700 --> 00:35:03,266 [Oscar] In 2019, we were working closely with the family to have 603 00:35:03,266 --> 00:35:05,493 a vigil for Kimberly because she was missing still 604 00:35:05,493 --> 00:35:06,000 a vigil for Kimberly because she was missing still 605 00:35:07,367 --> 00:35:12,266 and we had no credible leads or anything. 606 00:35:12,266 --> 00:35:16,867 Vigil is here, you know, asking the public for help in searching, you know, 607 00:35:16,867 --> 00:35:20,600 looking for Kimberly, you know, letting them know that she's still missing, 608 00:35:20,667 --> 00:35:24,300 that we're still looking for her, that we haven't given up. 609 00:35:31,667 --> 00:35:35,467 There is a vigil for Kimberly and at that vigil 610 00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:37,867 was the Cameron County district attorney Luis Saenz. 611 00:35:37,867 --> 00:35:41,066 {\an8}He drops a bombshell on the family using the phrase, 612 00:35:41,066 --> 00:35:44,066 {\an8}"We want to bring Kimberly's killer to justice." 613 00:35:44,066 --> 00:35:47,100 And up until that point, the family only knew 614 00:35:47,100 --> 00:35:49,667 that Kimberly was a missing persons' case. 615 00:35:49,667 --> 00:35:52,700 I don't think any of us were prepared 'cause we had never heard 616 00:35:52,767 --> 00:35:57,200 anything or any type of tip that Kimberly had been killed. 617 00:35:59,667 --> 00:36:01,166 [Ivon] We're all in shock. 618 00:36:01,166 --> 00:36:04,000 You know, my mother was looking at me, my father was looking at me. 619 00:36:04,066 --> 00:36:06,266 My brother was looking at me like, "Ivon, what's going on?" 620 00:36:06,266 --> 00:36:09,467 I could hear people mumbling and my mom started crying. 621 00:36:09,467 --> 00:36:10,667 My dad started crying. 622 00:36:10,667 --> 00:36:13,600 And we were like, "What are you talking about?" 623 00:36:15,166 --> 00:36:18,100 I was standing behind the family, and I leaned over 624 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:20,100 {\an8}to the sister and I said, "Do you know anything about this?" 625 00:36:20,166 --> 00:36:21,266 {\an8}She says, "No." 626 00:36:21,266 --> 00:36:23,166 And the mother... 627 00:36:23,166 --> 00:36:27,959 Kimberly's mother was in the worst state because, at that moment, 628 00:36:27,959 --> 00:36:28,000 Kimberly's mother was in the worst state because, at that moment, 629 00:36:28,867 --> 00:36:35,767 every possibility of her coming home was bashed by this man. 630 00:36:37,300 --> 00:36:40,000 So I went around the family really quickly up to the police chief, 631 00:36:40,066 --> 00:36:41,467 and I said, "What is he talking about?" 632 00:36:41,467 --> 00:36:42,567 He goes, "I don't know. 633 00:36:42,567 --> 00:36:43,867 I don't know what he's talking about. 634 00:36:43,867 --> 00:36:45,667 That's the wrong case." 635 00:36:45,667 --> 00:36:49,000 I said, "You need to tell him because look at what it's doing to the family." 636 00:36:49,066 --> 00:36:52,767 So he leaned over, whispering, the district attorney's ear 637 00:36:52,767 --> 00:36:55,367 and the district attorney stopped mid-sentence. 638 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:57,959 Literally, he dropped the mic and... 639 00:36:57,959 --> 00:36:58,000 Literally, he dropped the mic and... 640 00:36:58,767 --> 00:37:03,767 and ran away with reporters chasing after him, who followed him 641 00:37:03,767 --> 00:37:05,567 all the way back to his office where he got in, 642 00:37:05,567 --> 00:37:07,200 locked the door and wouldn't come out. 643 00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:13,400 It's unforgivable what he did because the family was already in pain 644 00:37:13,467 --> 00:37:16,000 and anguish, thinking the worst and then he says 645 00:37:16,066 --> 00:37:20,400 that their child is dead when it wasn't even the right person. 646 00:37:20,467 --> 00:37:24,200 It wasn't the right case, and all it did was hurt the family. 647 00:37:39,867 --> 00:37:44,367 Tonight marks three years since a transgender woman went missing in Brownsville, 648 00:37:44,367 --> 00:37:47,767 but her family tells CBS 4's Derick Garcia they believe police 649 00:37:47,767 --> 00:37:51,667 {\an8}aren't putting the cold case at the top of their list because of her sexual 650 00:37:51,667 --> 00:37:53,600 {\an8}orientation and her line of work. 651 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,959 {\an8}No lead, nothing new to tell investigators. 652 00:37:57,959 --> 00:37:58,000 {\an8}No lead, nothing new to tell investigators. 653 00:38:00,967 --> 00:38:04,867 {\an8}And no, we have not been able to develop any leads. 654 00:38:04,867 --> 00:38:09,200 {\an8}I remain committed to the case as if it happened yesterday. 655 00:38:09,266 --> 00:38:12,367 [Derick] So we're now another year past with Kimberly's case. 656 00:38:12,367 --> 00:38:15,567 I think the question is, what do police need? 657 00:38:15,567 --> 00:38:17,000 I think they need a lot. 658 00:38:17,066 --> 00:38:18,467 I think they need an eyewitness. 659 00:38:18,467 --> 00:38:20,000 They need some sort of evidence. 660 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,767 And most importantly, they need to know if Kimberly is alive or not. 661 00:38:23,767 --> 00:38:26,467 And if she is alive, she needs to come home. 662 00:38:26,467 --> 00:38:27,959 And if she's not alive, somebody needs to come forward. 663 00:38:27,959 --> 00:38:28,000 And if she's not alive, somebody needs to come forward. 664 00:38:30,266 --> 00:38:32,567 Without that, it's going to be another year. 665 00:38:34,266 --> 00:38:35,400 What happened to Kimberly? 666 00:38:35,467 --> 00:38:37,700 We don't know just yet, but we do know 667 00:38:37,767 --> 00:38:40,567 what has happened since she went missing. 668 00:38:40,567 --> 00:38:46,300 The LGBTQ community banded together and said enough is enough. 669 00:38:46,367 --> 00:38:52,200 The city of Brownsville created the first of its kind LGBT task force. 670 00:38:52,266 --> 00:38:56,767 Every cause has an effect, and this was the effect of Kimberly's case. 671 00:38:56,767 --> 00:38:57,959 And I think that's a beautiful thing that came from Kimberly's case. 672 00:38:57,959 --> 00:38:58,000 And I think that's a beautiful thing that came from Kimberly's case. 673 00:39:00,266 --> 00:39:04,600 I think it is rare for an LGBTQ task force to take effect anywhere 674 00:39:04,667 --> 00:39:06,767 on the border, let alone Brownsville. 675 00:39:06,767 --> 00:39:11,066 But to see it be born here in Brownsville is a great thing. 676 00:39:11,066 --> 00:39:14,667 And just because it's rare doesn't mean that it shouldn't be the norm. 677 00:39:14,667 --> 00:39:17,166 More cities can definitely learn from that. 678 00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:23,166 [Samantha] The trans community and the police department have never had a very good 679 00:39:23,166 --> 00:39:25,900 communication or interaction. 680 00:39:25,967 --> 00:39:27,959 {\an8}And by having a task force, an LGBT task force that's going to be there 681 00:39:27,959 --> 00:39:28,000 {\an8}And by having a task force, an LGBT task force that's going to be there 682 00:39:30,667 --> 00:39:36,100 {\an8}to represent you makes a difference. 683 00:39:36,166 --> 00:39:40,300 [Ivon] It is bittersweet because we would have love for her to be here 684 00:39:40,367 --> 00:39:45,100 {\an8}and see the changes. 685 00:39:45,166 --> 00:39:50,100 We're still missing her, you know, she's still not home. 686 00:39:50,166 --> 00:39:53,100 So yeah, there's a lot of good things that are coming out. 687 00:39:53,100 --> 00:39:57,100 But at the same time, maybe she paid a high price for it. 688 00:40:00,100 --> 00:40:02,400 {\an8}[Ramiro speaking in foreign language] 689 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,959 [Oscar] What makes the Avila family so special is that they show up for each other 690 00:40:27,959 --> 00:40:28,000 [Oscar] What makes the Avila family so special is that they show up for each other 691 00:40:28,266 --> 00:40:31,400 and for Kimberly over and over and over again. 692 00:40:31,467 --> 00:40:33,266 Every night is a sleepless night, 693 00:40:33,266 --> 00:40:35,100 wondering where their child is, 694 00:40:35,166 --> 00:40:36,767 wondering what's happened to them. 695 00:40:36,767 --> 00:40:39,567 But they don't give up and they lift each other up constantly. 696 00:40:39,567 --> 00:40:41,100 Thank you, everybody. 697 00:40:41,166 --> 00:40:46,166 Sometimes, I'll tell myself maybe somebody, you know, 698 00:40:46,166 --> 00:40:51,200 has her far away, but at least she's alive, you know? 699 00:40:51,266 --> 00:40:55,166 And then there's some days that I'm like, maybe she's no longer here. 700 00:40:56,300 --> 00:40:57,959 But I still have hope that one day I'm going to know, 701 00:40:57,959 --> 00:40:58,000 But I still have hope that one day I'm going to know, 702 00:41:01,467 --> 00:41:03,200 we're going to know what happened to her. 703 00:41:06,266 --> 00:41:08,000 That's something that... 704 00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:13,900 I'm not giving up, we're not giving up. 705 00:41:18,667 --> 00:41:20,166 {\an8}Of course, she matters. 706 00:41:21,300 --> 00:41:23,200 {\an8}She matters a lot, 707 00:41:23,266 --> 00:41:25,367 {\an8}and... 708 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:27,959 {\an8}you didn't just take her away, 709 00:41:27,959 --> 00:41:28,000 {\an8}you didn't just take her away, 710 00:41:28,767 --> 00:41:30,500 {\an8}you know, if that's the case. 711 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:35,166 {\an8}You hurt everybody that loved her... 712 00:41:39,367 --> 00:41:44,300 {\an8}because we love her very much. 713 00:41:45,066 --> 00:41:46,266 {\an8}I just... 714 00:41:47,467 --> 00:41:48,700 {\an8}I just want her home.