A year after Erika Gaytan’s alleged killer was arrested, the family still wants answers

EL PASO, Texas -- On a cold December afternoon the family of Erika Gaytan gathered outside the El Paso County Courthouse, still seeking answers about her body - which has yet to be found.

The 28-year-old was last seen in July of 2019 when she was attending a concert at the El Paso County Coliseum. Her date that evening was Ricardo Marquez, who was arrested and charged with her murder on Dec. 4, 2019. Marquez remains jailed awaiting his trial, one that has been postponed due to Covid-19.

"It's very frustrating not knowing when the actual court date will be. We are hoping that with this coming year things will change. Hopefully the pandemic will also stop so we can get answers and go to trial," said Karla Acosta, a longtime friend of Gaytan.

Gaytan was reported missing following the concert and they've been looking for her body ever since. Her mother Guadalupe Gaytan has been leading the charge.

"It's been a year since this man was arrested and he doesn't want to tell us where he buried her," Guadalupe Gaytan said. "We need to find her, she deserves peace and so do we, that's why we are here today."

Guadalupe Gaytan tells ABC-7 that the holiday season has become the most difficult part of the year for her. She says she's flooded with memories of her daughter, and seeing an empty seat in the living room for the second year in a row is not easy.

"We won't give up, we are going to keep fighting so that man can repent and tell us where he buried her. She deserves peace, because her son still asks about her and he deserves a place to honor her," Guadalupe Gaytan said, alluding to the young son that Erika left behind.

The trial for Marquez was postponed until at least January 2021. The stall in the legal system has become an added burden for Guadalupe Gaytan.

"I'm frustrated that all trials are postponed and I feel impatient, however I have peace knowing he is still locked in jail," she said.