The eight-years search for a so-called missing Houston teen has come to a bizarre end.
As it turns out, Rudy Farias—who was reported missing at age 17 by his mom Janie Santana on March 7, 2015—was living at home the entire time investigators worked around the clock to locate him, according to Houston Police.
Farias, now 25, had actually returned to his mom a day after she contacted police about his disappearance, but used fake names throughout the time period he was listed as missing, Houston police Lt. Christopher Zamora said in a press conference July 5.
“He made contact with patrol officers out on the street,” Zamora explained, adding that officers searched Santana’s residence “several times” throughout the yearslong investigation. “However, during these contacts, fictitious names and dates of birth were given misleading officers, and Rudy would remain missing.”
Additionally, Santana referred to Farias as her nephew whenever people questioned his identity and “continued to deceive police by remaining adamant that Rudy was still missing,” according to Zamora.
