LONGMONT, Colo. -- The family of a missing Longmont mother is struggling with the unknown. No one knows what happened to Rita Gutierrez-Garcia and months of searching have turned up few answers.
The mother of three went missing in March after celebrating St. Patrick's Day in downtown Longmont. The last time anyone saw her, she was walking to a parking lot by 3's Bar.
“We’re trying to put a timeline of all the events that night together to piece together everything that happened in those three blocks of Main Street that evening," said Det. Sgt. Matt Cage with Longmont Police Department.
Police are still looking to talk with anyone who was in the area of 3's Bar, Breaker's Grill and Winchell's Donut House between 10 p.m. March 17 and 3 a.m. on March 18.
Rita's sister, Jessica Reyes, is trying to get through the days without her best friend. She didn't think her family would still be waiting for answers.
“It’s like a cycle. It’s like such an ugly disturbing cycle, like the emotions and the thoughts. I just feel so sad, I feel so bad. I don’t know what she endured," said Reyes.
Early in the investigation, police focused on a suspect who was with her that night. Juan Jose Figueroa Jr. is being held on a separate case but without any direct witnesses there's still no idea what happened to Gutierrez-Garcia that evening.
Investigators believe it's unlikely Gutierrez-Garcia is still alive, but her family hasn't been able to accept that she may be gone. They are still paying rent on her apartment and have left all of her things untouched.
"We haven’t been able to bring ourselves to go in there and pack up her stuff and put it away or get rid of it. I don’t want to do it yet, I can’t. I haven’t even been able to walk in there," said Reyes.
Police are offering at $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. Anyone who knows about Rita's disappearance can contact police via email at policetipline@longmontcolorado.gov or by phone at (303) 774-3700.
