MARK YSASAGA - 15 yo - Lubbock TX

Lubbock teen missing nearly two weeks; mom says there is no giving up


Mark Ysasaga, 15, was last seen at a friend’s house the night of June 13 and has not been heard from since.

06/26/2012

Thirteen days after the disappearance of a Lubbock teen, his mother
insisted she won’t give up searching for him and pleaded for the
public’s help to bring him home.

Mark Ysasaga, 15, was last seen at a friend’s house the night of June
13 and has not been heard from since, having supposedly left the
following morning by foot to a nearby friend’s home to take a shower.

His mother, Anna, reported him missing right away, but Lubbock police
have listed him as a runaway, saying they found no evidence of foul
play to indicate Mark may be a missing person.

Lubbock police Sgt. Jonathan Stewart told The Avalanche-Journal on
Tuesday that Mark is still considered a runaway and did not give any
other details about the case.
Anna and Mark’s family have put all their energy into finding him,
handing out more than a thousand fliers with his photograph and their
contact information over the weekend.

On June 20, they held a prayer vigil at Smylie Wilson Middle School to rally community support and to hand out fliers.

Anna said more than one hundred people attended the vigil and she has
received a surprising amount of support from the public, especially
from mothers who feel for her and who said they will pray for her and
Mark to be found soon.

“It’s difficult even getting up in the morning, but I will not rest until my son is home with me,” Anna said.

Although the LPD said their investigation into Mark’s disappearance
is active, Anna said she does not think they are listening to her or
doing enough to find him.
Crystal Ysasaga, Mark’s aunt, said he was last seen wearing a white
polo shirt, red basketball shorts and white Nike Air Force shoes.

The family asks anyone with any information to call Anna at 300-1534 or Jessica, Mark’s sister, at 559-8600.


http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2012-06-26/lubbock-teen-missing-nearly-two-weeks-mom-says-there-no-giving#.T-xK0pES58F

A missing Lubbock teen has been added to the national center for missing and exploited children.

The organization lists 15-year-old Mark
Anthony Ysasaga as an endangered runaway. He was last seen June 13th
near 27th and Flint at a friend's house. That was almost three weeks
ago.

Sunday his family held a candle light vigil
at Smylie Wilson middle school. Dozens of family members, friends and
those who just wanted to show their support came out.


The mother of murdered Lubbock teen Elizabeth Ennin spoke about the pains of worrying about your missing child.

Standing beside Mark's mother, Anna Cuevas,
Mark's stepfather Michael Vuevas said they just wanted to find their
son, "Somebody knows something about his whereabouts, and even if you're
scared to give out that information, call our number private, leave an
inbox message, something. I mean, just any little bit helps. Somebody
knows something, and we want our son back."

if you know anything about this case or have seen Mark you're urged to call the family at 559-8600 or crimeline at 741-1000.

As the family mentioned you can remain anonymous.

http://www.kcbd.com/story/18928664/missing-lubbock-teen-added-to-national-website

Missing Lubbock teen added to national web site

07/01/2012


A missing Lubbock teen has been added to the national center for missing and exploited children.

The organization lists 15-year-old Mark
Anthony Ysasaga as an endangered runaway. He was last seen June 13th
near 27th and Flint at a friend's house. That was almost three weeks
ago.

Sunday his family held a candle light vigil
at Smylie Wilson middle school. Dozens of family members, friends and
those who just wanted to show their support came out.

The mother of murdered Lubbock teen Elizabeth Ennin spoke about the pains of worrying about your missing child.

Standing beside Mark's mother, Anna Cuevas,
Mark's stepfather Michael Vuevas said they just wanted to find their
son, "Somebody knows something about his whereabouts, and even if you're
scared to give out that information, call our number private, leave an
inbox message, something. I mean, just any little bit helps. Somebody
knows something, and we want our son back."

if you know anything about this case or have seen Mark you're urged to call the family at 559-8600 or crimeline at 741-1000.

As the family mentioned you can remain anonymous.

http://www.kcbd.com/story/18928664/missing-lubbock-teen-added-to-national-website

Threads merged.

Thanks MinIL! I figured I would remember a name like that.
This heat is frying my convolutions in my cerebrum...

i thought it was hot here in south georgia cause im melting. it hasnt affected my cerebrum...yet.

Nearly three weeks after Mark Anthony Ysasaga was last seen by his
family, Lubbock police Tuesday announced they had enough information to
consider the Lubbock teen a missing person.


But police would not elaborate on the information leading them to
believe the 15-year-old was missing rather than a runaway, as
investigators had labeled Ysasaga since family members reported his
disappearance to police June 15.


Speaking during a Tuesday evening news conference asking for the
public’s help in the search, Lubbock police Sgt. Jonathan Stewart said
his department was inundated with rumors and misinformation about
Ysasaga’s disappearance, especially through social media, during the
18-day investigation.


“None of the speculation has developed into any kind of solid lead,” Stewart said.


He said police do not have enough information about Ysasaga’s
disappearance to qualify for an Amber Alert, which requires a law
enforcement agency to believe the child has been abducted and in
immediate danger, among other requirements.


Stewart said police were not ready to release additional information.


Even as authorities initially considered Ysasaga a runaway, his mother insisted he was missing and likely in danger.


Anna Maria Ysasaga-Cuevas said earlier Tuesday she didn’t know what
developments police had about her son’s disappearance, adding police
hadn’t contacted her about the news conference.


“The last time I talked with them was yesterday and they told me they had no new leads or clues,” she said.


Stewart said police have contacted Ysasaga’s family about 30 times,
usually twice a day, since the family reported the teen missing.


The last time anyone saw Mark, he was wearing a white polo shirt, red
basketball shorts with a black stripe on the side and white Nike Air
Force shoes, Ysasaga-Cuevas said.


Mark was last seen at a friend’s house on 27th Street and Flint
Avenue, where he stayed the night. He left in the morning on foot, bound
for another friend’s house near 50th Street and Slide Road, to take a
shower.


Ysasaga-Cuevas said her son had no reason to leave that morning
without returning. She tried to call him on his cellphone, but the call
went directly to voice mail.


Ysasaga-Cuevas said she contacted all of Mark’s friends from Facebook
and through the contact numbers she had for them. She called the
cellphone provider for information on numbers he had called during the
previous 48 hours and then called all those numbers.


Ysasaga is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 145 pounds.


Police urge anyone with information about Ysasaga to call Crime Line
at 741-1000 or Lubbock police juvenile sergeants Taveau at 535-3295 or
Gribben at 548-4115. Callers may remain anonymous.

http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/crime/2012-07-03/police-consider-teen-last-seen-june-13-missing-person#.T_QwEZHKe7I

The Avalanche-Journal received an anonymous envelope Monday with
information that could shed new light on the disappearance of Mark
Ysasaga.


With no return address and the newspaper’s address written down in
blue ink with a shaky handwriting, the envelope contained a print of a
personal listing on a website for gay men, adam4adam.com.


The sender, who stated he or she wished to remain anonymous because
of the “nature of the website,” wrote in a note above the printout of
the listing that they thought the picture in the profile resembled the
missing 15-year-old Lubbock teen.


According to the profile, the subscriber is a 23-year-old Latino male from Lubbock.


Anna Cuevas, Mark’s mother, met with the A-J and said she did not
agree the man in the photograph is her son and said she never had any
knowledge that Mark may be gay.


“He has brought home so many girlfriends and girls were always
fighting over him. But if this were the case, I don’t care. I just want
him home safe,” Anna said.


The A-J contacted the Lubbock Police Department and turned over all
materials to Sgt. Tony Gribben and Detective Jon House, who said their
lab will analyze the fingerprints on the printed sheet and the envelope
it was mailed in.


Sgt. Jonathan Stewart said the LPD will follow every lead into Mark’s
whereabouts but did not go into detail about how this new information
will be handled.


Last week, Crime Line of Lubbock announced it is offering a $2,000 reward for any information that will lead to Mark’s recovery.


Anyone interested in adding to the reward can make a donation through Crime Line at 741-1000, Sgt. Gribben said.


The LPD’s hope is the reward will be substantial enough to encourage
someone who has information to come forward and help find Mark.


All tips and calls can be made anonymously.
http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/crime/2012-07-09/lubbock-police-avalanche-journal-receive-anonymous-info-missing#.T_ufapHKe7I

07/08/2012

Lubbock, TX
This coming Friday will mark one month since
15-year old Mark Anthony Ysasaga went missing. His family reported him
missing on the 17th of June. Now they continue their efforts to try and
bring him home.

Ysasaga's mother and father, Anna and Michael
Cuevas, say with the help of friends and family they've passed out over
12,000 flyers to anyone who will take them. They've held numerous
candlelight vigils and carwashes to spread the word.

"We've gone everywhere throughout Lubbock. We
did 4th on Broadway, Critterfest, the mall, flea markets - so were
trying to hit every major crowd in town," Anna Cuevas said.

They're coordinating the effort with Internet and social media sites. Ysasaga's missing page on Facebook has over 1,500 likes. Their Twitter account, @BringMarkHome, provides updates about the search effort. But although there have been numerous tips, none of them have resulted in a lead.

"We've heard that he might be in San Antonio,
we've heard Austin, we've heard Oklahoma, Ohio - it's just some of the
leads they're trying to follow, but so far nothing," Michael Ysasaga
said.

Last week, the Lubbock Police Department held a press conference
discussing the search effort and classifying Ysasaga as a missing
juvenile. LPD says they have ten investigators and two supervisors
working full time to bring Mark home.

"They're interviewing us, talking to us more, and everything. Going back to the day of his disappearance," Anna Cuevas said.

Now, this mother and father just hope and pray their son will come home soon, safe and sound.

"If Anthony sees this... we love you and we want you home"

Mark Anthony Ysasaga was last seen on 27th
street wearing a white polo and red basketball shorts. He's 5'7 and 145
pounds. If you have any information regarding his disappearance please
contact Crime Line at (806) 741-1000.

Crime Line of Lubbock is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to Mark's return.
http://www.kcbd.com/story/18976070/police-family-continue-search-for-mark-ysasaga

WHERE IS MARK ANTHONY YSASAGA?
07/11/2012
Mark Anthony Ysasaga is a 15 year old boy who went missing from
Lubbock, Texas, on June 15, 2012. There are currently no leads to where
Mark Anthony could be or what could have happened to him. Parents and
friends do not believe he would have run away.
The following information provided by the FaceBook Community page:
Fifteen
year old Lubbock teen Mark Ysasaga has not been seen since June 13th,
and concern for the teen’s safety is growing stronger each day.

Mark
Ysasaga packed a bag and headed to the home of a 17-year-old friend on
the evening of Wednesday, June 13th. By all reports, the last time
anyone saw Mark was around 2am at the friend’s house.

On Thursday, the 14th, Mark was nowhere to be found.

His
mother, Anna Maria Ysasaga-Cuevas tells MPN her son is not the type of
kid who would just disappear or run away. “My kids have freedom, because
I want them to be able to do the things they want to do,”
Ysasaga-Cuevas said. “So it doesn’t make sense why he would run away
when he has the freedom to enjoy life already. My son was a loving and
caring son and loved to be with all his friends. And not one friend has
heard anything from him at all.”
Mark’s mother told us her son spent the
night at a friend’s house, and that no one has seen him since. Without
assigning blame or suspicion, she has noted the friend has been
“unusually quiet” since her son’s disappearance.

Although the
investigation into Mark’s case initially stalled, the perserverance of
his family has brought more attention to his disappearance in the last
few days. “The Lubbock Police Department told me he probably ran away,”
Ysasaga-Cuevas said. “He is a minor, he is out there somewhere, and he
is my son. I’m not going to keep quiet while nothing is done.”

“His
father found the back of the bed of his truck that night around
midnight, and he had put it on the front porch thinking he was coming
back for it,” Ysasaga-Cueves told MPN.

Rumors are rampant in this
case, as several teenagers from the area claim to have knowledge of
Mark’s whereabouts. One possible disturbing new piece of information
came to light Wednesday evening, at a vigil for Mark. However,
Detectives from the Lubbock Police Department have not responded to
MPN’s calls on this new information, which may not be meant for public
disclosure.

Mark Ysasaga is 15 years’ old, 5’7″, 145
pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen in the area of
27th Street in Lubbock, Texas, at approximately 2am on the morning of
Thursday, June 14th.

If you have any information regarding Mark
Ysasaga’s whereabouts, please call (806) 300-1534, or the Lubbock Police
Department at(806) 775-2865.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-814097

Search held in Hodges Park for missing teen
Family, friends and volunteers came out Saturday morning to search for missing teen Mark Ysasaga.
Posted: July 28, 2012 - 9:59pm | Updated: July 29, 2012 - 1:06am

Back | Next

Attendees gather to pray for Mark Anthony Ysasaga, 15, during prayer vigil at
Wilson Jr. High School Wednesday, June 20, 2012. The Lubbock Police
Department has classified the teen as a runaway. (Lubbock
Avalanche-Journal / Stephen Spillman)

Anna Maria Ysasaga-Cuevas will never forget the moment the photo was taken.
It is of her son, Mark Anthony, standing upright in a black tuxedo
with a teal vest and tie for his friend’s quinceanera, a slight smile onhis face.

“He was so proud of how he looked,” Anna said, remembering that day in November. “That was such a good day.”
The same photograph is now being used to alert the public that Mark, 15, is missing.
He disappeared over a month ago, but Anna has not given up looking for him.
“I will not stop searching until I find him,” she said.

On Saturday, a communitywide search for Mark and any evidence related
to his disappearance was held at Hodges Park on North University Avenue.

In conjunction with La Fuerza, a Hispanic independent voter’s group
in Lubbock, friends, family and volunteers came out to help the search, organized by Anna.

“I have wanted to do something like this ever since we knew he was
missing,” she said. “I just didn’t know how to get it started.”

Becky Garcia, a member of La Fuerza, did not know Anna before Mark
went missing, but has helped with fundraisers and they’ve grown close since then.

“I have a 15-year-old child,” Garcia said. “I would be hoping someone
would do the same for me in a situation like this. It’s one of those
things where two mothers come together.”
Garcia helped organize the search Saturday.
“I just felt like there wasn’t enough attention being brought to the
whole situation,” she said. “Many people weren’t even aware, even up to a
week ago, that Anthony was even missing. How can we have a child
missing under these circumstances and no one even know?”
Garcia announced the plan for the search at La Fuerza’s weekly meeting Thursday, calling for volunteers.
She did not disclose exactly where they would search, but set Hodges Park as the headquarters.
Early Saturday morning, about 100 people showed up to help in the
search, all wearing fluorescent T-shirts made by Anna, with pictures of
Mark on them and the word MISSING in bold, block letters at the top.
contd.http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/crime/2012-07-28/search-held-hodges-park-missing-teen#.UBThMKDPw-E

Ysasaga benefit set for Sunday

08/04/2012
A reward for information leading to the whereabouts of a missing Lubbock teenager could increase this weekend.
Fifteen year old Mark Ysasaga has been missing since June 15th.

His family organized a haircut benefit for Sunday.
It will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Perfected Talent Salon at 34th Street and Avenue W.
Ysasaga's
mother says proceeds will be used to boost the reward amount, which is
now $2000 dollars, and help the family purchase another billboard.
If you have information concerning Ysasaga's whereabouts., contact Crimeline at 741-1000 or click here for other options.
http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/Ysasaga-benefit-set-for-Sunday/86on26vbrUGzNVPkyj0rSw.cspx

Search continues two months after Mark Ysasaga went missing

Last Update: 5:12 am

Still searching for their missing loved one after two months, the determination of Mark Ysasaga's family and friends is unwavering.

After holding community vigils, rallies, bake sales, and one search, those involved in the effort to find the missing teen are organizing another event. Volunteers including members of the Hispanic voter group La Fuerza plan to scour the neighborhood where 15-year-old Mark was last seen.

Becky Garcia said she hopes retracing their steps leads them to any new information.

"Things were a little different in this situation, just because Mark was not considered missing right away," Garcia said. "He was listed as a runaway and then a missing person, and so we lost those precious few hours in the beginning. And so, we just want to go back to square one and start fresh."

The group will meet at Wagner Park Saturday at 8 a.m. to begin the search. They will also hold a garage sale at 58th and Indiana, and a car wash is planned Sunday afternoon at 82nd and Boston.

http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/Mark-Ysasaga-La-Fuerza-lubbock/Nu1fxh6bSU2uOfN8rVOiNw.cspx

Search intensifies for Lubbock missing teen Mark Ysasaga

09/06/2012
Lubbock, TX -

The search for missing Lubbock teen
Mark Anthony Ysasaga has intensified with a new private investigator
joining the search efforts. Fifteen year old Mark has been missing for
almost three months since he was last seen going to a friend's home on
June 14^th.

State licensed investigator Chuck Foreman was
contacted by Mark's family Wednesday night, and just 24 hours into the
investigation he says he's already gotten several anonymous calls with
information. "We think he's outside of the Lubbock area. We're going to
look all the information and track it down to the source. Hopefully we
get lucky and find some information," Foreman said.

Since Mark's disappearance countless tears
have been shed, thousands of fliers passed out, and hour after hour has
been spent searching for the missing teen. Mark's family is hoping the
Foreman will add a fresh pair of eyes and a new approach to the
investigation.

"We're trying to go after a little bit of a
different strategy because I'm not law enforcement. We're trying to
reach out to a certain segment of people who don't feel comfortable
talking about Mark with law enforcement, but perhaps they'll feel
comfortable talking to me," Foreman said.

Foreman says he will begin looking into the
48 hours before Mark went missing to hopefully find leads to bring Mark
home. If you have any information you can contact Foreman at 512-644-9856.

People with information can also call Crime Line and stay anonymous. That number is 806-741-1000.

Mark Ysasaga was last seen on 27th street wearing a white polo and red basketball shorts. He's 5'7 and 145 pounds.
http://www.kcbd.com/story/19479752/search-intensifies-for-lubbock-missing-teen-mark-ysasaga

Missing Teen Mark Ysasaga Sighted in Abilene and San Angelo

Lubbock Police have an update on the case of missing teen Mark Ysasaga.

On August 20^th, LPD received a Crime Line tip stating that
Ysasaga was in Abilene, TX. Further investigation with Abilene Police
showed this to be a credible tip.

During the joint investigation, several other credible sightings of
Ysasaga were discovered from July to August in Abilene. On August 20^th, Ysasaga had left the Abilene area for San Angelo and was currently in the area.

LPD then investigated the area with San Angelo Police and established
several credible sightings of the teen in the area. As of today,
Ysasaga has not been located and is still considered a missing person.

LPD is still continuing their investigation efforts with Abilene and
San Angelo Police to locate Ysasaga and return him safely to his family.

LPD continues to ask the public for help in this case if they have
any information on Mark Ysasaga by contacting Crime Line at 741-100.
http://kfyo.com/missing-teen-mark-ysasaga-sighted-in-abilene-and-san-angelo/

Friends, family hold candlelight vigil for Mark Ysasaga

10/14/2012
Friends and family held a candlelight vigil and released balloons for missing teen Mark Anthony Ysasaga on Saturday night.

The ceremony was held at Wagner Park at 27th & Flint from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

Sunday marks four months since Mark went missing.

If you have any information about this case, please contact Crime Line at 741-1000.