Martha Elizabeth Anaya

• Missing Since 11/12/2013
• Missing From Santa Ana, California
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race Hispanic
• Date of Birth 11/26/1985 (39)
• Age 27 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 130 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description Light blue jeans.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Hispanic female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Anaya has a deep scar on her left thigh. She has the following tattoos: two teardrops near her right eye, the words "Butterfly" and "R.I.P. It was all a Dreamer" on her left breast, the words "dear mama" on the back of her neck, the name "Amy" on the top of her left wrist, and the name "Melody" on the top of her right wrist.

Details of Disappearance

Anaya was last seen in the 3200 Block of Bentley Park in Santa Ana, California on November 12, 2013. She left home without taking her belongings with her. That day she sent a text message to her boyfriend, asking him to pick up their daughter. This was the last sign of her; she has never been heard from again.

Investigators believe Anaya's disappearance is connected to the disappearances of Josephine Vargas and Kianna Jackson. All three women frequented the same half-mile section of First Street, between Grand Avenue and the the 55 freeway, all of them were sex workers, and they disappeared within weeks of each other.

In April 2014, Franc Cano and Steven Dean Gordon were arrested and charged with the murders of Jackson, Anaya and Vargas, as well as the murder of 21-year-old Jarrae Nykkole Estepp, whose body was found in an Anaheim, California recycling plant.

Photos of Eastepp, Cano, Gordon are posted with this case summary. Both Cano and Gordon have prior records for sex offenses against children, and are registered sex offenders. They were wearing GPS ankle monitoring bracelets at the time of their disappearances and weren't supposed to be around each other.

At Gordon's trial in late 2016, he represented himself and admitted to being guilty of all the charges, although he said Cano had actually strangled the women. He said their bodies had been thrown in dumpsters. Gordon stated he and Cano had also abducted and killed a fifth woman, but this victim was never located, and it wasn't until 2017 that authorities were able to identify her as Sable Pickett.

At his trial, Gordon asked to be given the death penalty. He was convicted and sentenced to death. In December 2022, Cano pleaded guilty to four counts of rape and murder in exchange for the prosecution agreeing not to seek the death penalty against him. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Foul play is suspected in Anaya's case due to the circumstances involved.