New clue in disappearance of man believed to be found in manhole

HOUSTON – At 4:30 p.m. Oct. 5, a man believed to be Alex Medina walked into a gas station near Beltway 8 and the Hardy Tollroad for a quart of oil and some antifreeze. He hasn't been seen since.

“He would do anything for me and I would do anything for him," said Medina's younger sister, Irma Medina. "He would call me two or three times a week to check in."

Irma said that she went to her older brother's apartment when she wasn't able to get a hold of him. 

“He wasn't there, the dog wasn't there and his vehicle wasn't there, so we knew something was up," she said.

Irma filed a missing persons report and EquuSearch Texas began a search.

Irma said that she learned from her brother's employer that he had phoned early on Friday morning to report that he was having car trouble, but he never showed up for work. The courier service was able to GPS his phone, which lead EquuSearch crews to an area near the Beltway and Hardy Toll Road.

Tim Miller with EquuSearch said that they recovered shoes, oil and antifreeze, and found a large uncovered hole in the ground. 

Family members said that investigators found Medina’s beloved dog, Chelsea, dead inside of his truck parked in that location.

"That was like his own child---the dog went everywhere he went," Irma said. 

On Tuesday night The Houston Police Department's Dive Team recovered a body inside of a manhole. Family members said that they have a lot of questions but all they can do is wait for the autopsy results.

“It just boggles me that the manhole was open, and for how long?" said Medina's niece, Melissa Medina-Navarro. 

“I’m almost sure that it is him because of all of the evidence that they found but we are waiting to have confirmation that it is definitely him," said Irma.

Representatives with the Texas Department of Transportation said that there have not been any previous reports on the drainage inlet and the hole has been covered. 


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