Esmeralda Castillo physically disappeared on May 19 in Ciudad Juárez, and now, in December 2023, her name has disappeared from the list of the missing. Her father, José Luis Castillo, questions this double disappearance. Previously, authorities conditioned the delivery of progress in the investigation on the condition that he accept in writing that Esmeralda was dead.
"Give me a body, proof of death of Esmeralda,” José Luis requested in an interview. Alongside his wife Martha Alicia Rincón, he continues to plead for the appearance of Esmeralda, traveling across the country with posters of her face and the phrase "Don’t forget me, I am missing," a phrase adopted by feminist groups to demand justice for missing women in Mexico.
The discovery of several objects in an alleged extermination camp of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Jalisco has caused confusion in the case of Esmeralda Castillo Rincón. Burned human bones, shoes, clothing, and a backpack similar to Esmeralda's at the time of her disappearance were discovered. However, the family denied that the found backpack belonged to the young woman.
Perla Castillo, Esmeralda's sister, clarified on social media that the backpack did not belong to her sister, while the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office described differences with Esmeralda's backpack. Although he appreciated the concern, the father confirmed that it was not his daughter, labeling this news as painful by confirming the lack of clues about her whereabouts.
Esmeralda disappeared in 2009 at the age of 14 in Ciudad Juárez. She was wearing a denim skirt, black leggings, a pink blouse, and black sneakers. Since then, her father has tirelessly searched for clues about her whereabouts, pressuring authorities and organizing campaigns to keep her case alive. In February 2024, he reported that Esmeralda's name was removed from the list of missing persons in Mexico, raising questions about this situation.
