Antonio Andrade Cruz

Cruz, circa 2003

  • Missing Since 05/28/2003
  • Missing From San Diego, California
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race Hispanic
  • Date of Birth 01/17/1920 (104)
  • Age 83 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'7, 170 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue plaid shirt, a blue jacket and black pants.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Hispanic male. Gray hair, gray eyes. Cruz's nickname is Tony.

Details of Disappearance

Cruz was last seen leaving the residence he shared with his girlfriend in the 1200 block of 10th Avenue in San Diego, California between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. May 28, 2003 in San Diego, California. He was reportedly on the way to the nearby post office to pay the utility bill. He never returned home and has never been heard from again.

Cruz was having trouble walking at the time of his disappearance and often used a cane or walker. He had contacts in downtown San Diego and had also visited Yuma, Arizona and Ensenada, Mexico, but there is no indication that he had plans to go anywhere at the time of his disappearance.

After his disappearance, $25,000 in cash, which Cruz kept in case of emergency, was discovered missing from the safe in his apartment. Whoever took the money knew the combination. A gun which he kept under his bed was also missing.

Ten days after he vanished, someone cashed checks on his account in Mexico. The checks were made out to a nonexistent sheet metal company. The total amount was $48,000; Cruz had had $48,500 in his account at the time.

Authorities discovered someone had been to the post office and changed Cruz's mailing address to a nonexistent address in San Antonio, Texas, which was the town where he was born. Detectives checked surveillance cameras at the Mexican border crossings and saw someone resembling Cruz sitting in the backseat of a car with two men. The same vehicle returned to the United States later without him.

Cruz is an Army veteran and formerly worked at North Island Naval Air Station. He left behind seven children, two of whom have died since his disappearance. He was still legally married at the time of his disappearance, but his wife had Alzheimer's Disease. She died in 2005. Cruz's case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency

  • San Diego Police Department 619-531-2000

Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 10, 2015; name corrected, two pictures added, clothing/jewelry description and details of disappearance updated.