UPDATE: An urgent search is underway for 24-year-old Sydney Marquez, who vanished while visiting friends in Houston earlier this month. Last seen on December 11, 2023, in southwest Houston, her family is pleading for public assistance and critical video evidence to help locate her.
Investigators confirm that Sydney was spotted near the 9100 block of Bellaire Boulevard after leaving a friend’s car running. Witnesses reported seeing her walk away and possibly board a northbound METRO bus at the intersection of Gessner and Harwin.
Raul Marquez, Sydney’s father, has emphasized the importance of obtaining surveillance footage from the bus, stating, “The car was running. We have video of her going northbound on Ranchester. That’s the last solid evidence we have. I have the exact time when she boarded that bus. That footage is a matter of life and death.”
In a significant development, the METRO Police Department (MPD) has confirmed that they successfully retrieved the requested bus video, which has been handed over to the Houston Police Department (HPD), the lead agency in the investigation. MPD officials remain hopeful for Sydney’s safe return, pledging ongoing support to HPD as the search continues.
Authorities report that Sydney, who resides and works in El Paso, may have been experiencing a mental health episode during her visit. “She was diagnosed with late-onset bipolar disorder with a bit of schizophrenia,” her father revealed, expressing concern over behavioral changes in recent months.
The search for Sydney is being aided by Texas EquuSearch, with founder Tim Miller stating, “Time’s not on our side. She’s a young girl who was walking late at night, not knowing the area. We just want to get her home safe.”
Sydney is described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 120 pounds, with short reddish-brown hair, brown eyes, and glasses. She has a distinctive four-leaf clover tattoo on her left wrist.
In a heartfelt message, Raul expressed his longing for his daughter, saying, “Sydney, you need to come home now. We miss you. We love you. Christmas is around the corner.” Alarmingly, a witness suggested Sydney may have boarded the bus with two men who prevented her from using a phone offered to her at the bus stop. The retrieved video could help identify these individuals.
Authorities urge anyone with information about Sydney Marquez’s whereabouts to contact the Houston Police Department at (832) 394-1840, or Texas EquuSearch at (281) 309-9500. Every moment counts in the search for this missing young woman.
