Haven't been checking on this case for a while so just seen the presser. Kind of wish I hadn't now, poor Noel
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TRANSCRIPTION OF PRESS CONFERENCE
6TH APRIL
CHIEF - Well, good afternoon. I have several very important updates to share with you on this investigation. I'm incredibly saddened to share with you today, that the search for Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez is now officially a death investigation. That means that Noel will no longer be considered an endangered missing person.
Based on the totality of the circumstances, along with the evidence available to us at this time, it has led to a very unfortunate, unimaginable, and devastating conclusion that Noel is likely deceased.
As we continue to investigate the disappearance of Noel, one of our top priorities was to determine the accurate timeline. Investigators determined that Noel was last seen by a professional on July 21st, 2022 for speech therapy. Several other professional appointments were missed near this timeline and following, which ultimately led to warning letters from the Texas Department of State Health Services in order for Cindy to continue to receive government benefits for Noel. Investigators learned that, near this timeline, Cindy even asked an acquaintance of hers if she could borrow her son for a doctor's appointment so that she could keep the benefits, stating that Noel had COVID. Our investigation revealed that Noel was present at the time Cindy gave birth to her twin daughters in early October, 2022. Noel was later witnessed, for a short period of time, following the discharge of the twins from the hospital in mid-October. Noel was described as appearing unhealthy and malnourished. Investigators learned, through interviews, that leading up to the birth of the twins, Cindy had made several statements about Noel, referring to him as evil, possessed, or having a demon in him. Cindy believed that Noel was going to harm the newborn twins. On November 1st, 2022, Cindy obtained passport photographs of all the children living with her except for Noel. On November 2nd, Cindy applied for passports for herself and all six of the children, except for Noel. Interviews suggested that Cindy began trying to explain the disappearance of Noel in early November through various stories that she told. Cindy had reportedly told stories that Noel was with his biological father in Mexico or Noel was with his aunt in Mexico, or Noel was sold to another woman in a Fiesta Market parking lot.
Thanks to technology, interviews, search warrants and the assistance of authorities in Mexico, investigators have been able to disprove each one of these stories. Throughout the investigation we learned that Cindy has been known by relatives to be abusive and neglectful to Noel. Relatives and witnesses stated that food and water were often withheld from Noel because Cindy did not like changing Noel's dirty diapers. A relative even witnessed Cindy strike Noel in the face with keys because he drank water.
Investigators have worked and continue to work tirelessly to comb through all of the electronic data and other information that has been obtained through a multitude of search warrants. We have not located any information that would suggest Noel has been sold or trafficked. We have, additionally, been able to disprove stories that Noel was given to other family members.
Although the course of this investigation has changed, our commitment to Noel has not; we will continue to fight for Noel. Investigators are now working towards identifying potential locations and conducting recovery operations. We are engaging with several experts and highly qualified organisations to assist us on this venture. Some organised searches have already begun and are expected to continue in the coming days. Nobody is more committed, more determined, or more eager to locate Noel than this investigative team. We currently have active felony warrants for the arrest of Cindy and Arshdeep for abandoning and endangering a child, which is a second degree felony. We want these fugitives arrested and extradited back to the United States so that we can seek answers for the disappearance of Noel.
Lastly, I want to again acknowledge and thank all of those who have assisted us to this point. And it is an exhaustive list of great organisations and people, that includes: the Alliance for Children, the Department of Family and Protective Services, CPI division, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, The Euless Police Department, Grapevine Police, Colleyville Police, White Settlement, Forest Hill Police, North Richland Hills Police, Mansfield Police, Dallas Police, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, all of our federal partners and our law enforcement counterparts in Mexico.
Furthermore, I want to specifically thank Captain Zachary of the Euless Police Department, as well as Captain Shimek of the Grapevine Police Department. These commanders have overseen operations associated with this investigation, and I'm tremendously grateful for their leadership, dedication and commitment in locating Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez. These agencies and officers, along with my investigative staff, have been working tirelessly on this case. 1000s of man hours have been put into the search for Noel. The commitment that has been exhibited by all of them is second to none and I could not be more proud and thankful for all of them.
I understand that this is not the news that we were all hoping for, or praying for and we must continue to stand together as a community and fight for Noel. The City of Everman will be holding a candlelight vigil for Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez on Monday, April, 10th at 8:30 pm, at our Everman Civic Centre.
This is obviously an ongoing criminal investigation, so I'm going to be limited in the responses that I can give but I'm happy to take any questions that you might have at this time. And I'll be sure to take my time with your questions, so you don't have to pounce all over each other, we'll be okay.
REPORTER - Chief, you said at the very beginning of this investigation that you would not believe Noel was dead until you had evidence saying that ; Are you telling us today that you have that evidence?
CHIEF - I'm telling you today, that based off the interviews, the facts and the statements that we've received; a culmination of all of the circumstantial evidence and the fact that we've ruled out other possibilities that, yes, I do believe that Noel is deceased.
REPORTER - I know you said before that you weren't going to pursue an extradition of the parents until charges (inaudible), now, because it's a death investigation, you're saying it's a secondary felony you're looking at?
CHIEF - So, the death investigation's completely separate from the already existing warrants that we issued last week. Those warrants that were issued last week are completely unrelated to this for abandoning or endangering a child. It is a second degree felony in the state of Texas and we are seeking to extradite on those charges, if we can make that happen.
REPORTER - You mentioned you're going to be searching some locations; Has that already started? and are those all locations kind of in this general area? or can you give us some sense of the scope of where you'll be searching?
CHIEF - Yeah, so, investigators are still working to determine the exact locations where we'll continue to search. Right now, we believe that those are all within the general area of North Texas. I mean, they're in the vicinity here, and those searches have been in the general area of the residence there. So, we will continue to identify those locations. I don't have any of those specifically listed out here, yet, but they are working to identify those and we'll move forward with the teams necessary to conduct those searches.
REPORTER - You mentioned a couple of final times he was seen; Can you help clarify what the absolute last known appearance or confirmed appearance?
CHIEF - The absolute last known appearance that we have been given was that Noel was seen at the hospital, at the birth of the twins, in early October, and possibly up to a week after that; a week after the children were discharged and brought home. So, we're looking at mid to late October; in that timeline.
REPORTER - Do you have video from the hospital that shows Noel there?
CHIEF - No, we don't have video. We've been able to verify that through interviews.
REPORTER - You had said something about trying to get federal authorities to contact international governments; How's that coming along?
CHIEF - Yeah, so we're working with our federal partners, I mean, they're engaged with us now and we are working within there on the case, working side by side, so, I'm assuming that's who you're referring to?
REPORTER - Have you had any contact with any international government?
CHIEF - As far as their contacts and what they're doing, I have no clue. I mean, we rely on our relationship with them, when they have information to share back with us they'll obviously communicate that with us, but I know they're working on it. I just have not heard what the status of that is yet.
REPORTER - If there is a body found, if there's a murder warrant that is issued at some point in time; Does that make it easier for federal authorities to go off and locate those family members?
CHIEF - You know, I don't know what all it entails. I've never had to go after somebody in a foreign country before. I mean, this is obviously new territory for me, so I'm just not experienced in that. So I don't know what all that entails, I don't know what will make it easier but you know, obviously, I would think the more evidence that is there, probably the more plausible argument that they can make in order to fulfil an extradition, but I don't know what those conversations look like, never been a part of it. I've never had to pursue somebody in a foreign country before.
REPORTER - Chief, right now, do you believe that Cindy, alone, may be responsible for Noel's death or Cindy and someone else?
CHIEF - You know, we don't have all the answers there and that's where bringing them back and being able to interview the other parties involved and getting to those answers would be very helpful. I don't have all the answers there yet and we're working towards finding those answers.
REPORTER - (
asks whether they still believe family is in India)
CHIEF - Yes, we do believe the family is still in India, yes.
REPORTER - You said something about searching locations; Are those locations around Everman?
CHIEF - Yeah the primary locations that have been searched, thus far, have been around Everman, yes.
REPORTER - Right now Chief, what do you need from the public?
CHIEF - We still need tips. We can't tell you how helpful some of the tips that we have gotten have been on this case, and we still need that information. We want to know anything and everything we can about Noel. So, anybody with information, anybody who's seen them, anybody who's had conversations with Cindy about Noel, we want to know that information. And it's absolutely crucial that they share that with us so we can continue our investigation.
REPORTER - As the Chief, at the end of your work day when you go home, since he's been missing, what's going through your mind without the answers that you are looking for?
CHIEF - Yeah, so this is by far, and I think I speak for the whole team, this has probably been one of the hardest cases... well, I know it's the hardest case that I've ever been a part of and I'm sure that's the case for many of the other investigators that have been on this investigation. And it's something that.. we even communicate late at night, even when we're supposedly done working on the case for the day, we're even thinking of things and messaging back and forth and sharing new ideas and things to go after. So, you can tell that all the investigators on this case have really been committed, including myself, and it's something that we're absolutely committed to pursuing and finding answers to. So, I guess the short answer to that is; really the days don't end at this point and haven't. We continue to work on this.
REPORTER - Can you share something about Noel's father, as far as his status; Is he going to be able to travel?
CHIEF - Yeah, so, we've had those conversations. We've turned that request over. I don't know what the status is. I know that the authorities in Mexico have been absolutely tremendous in working with us on this case, and very, very helpful with us. And so I think at this point; I don't think there's any expectation that the father will come over here to visit with us. I think we'll continue the conversation through the authorities in Mexico and that's been very helpful in the case.
REPORTER - What's next in the investigation?
CHIEF - What's next is: Investigators are going to continue to pinpoint potential locations and organise these searches and see if we can't find Noel and bring him home. That's our goal.
All right. Thank you all very much. I appreciate your time.
