AZ AZ - Derrick James Tenorio, 21, Steamboat, 5 Aug 2011

[Gardener1850]

Missing Person / NamUs #MP38888
Derrick James Tenorio

Male, American Indian / Alaska Native
Height 5' 7" - 5' 9" (67 - 69 Inches)
Weight 170 - 190 lbs

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description Shaved head
Eye Color Brown

Tattoo across right or left hand knuckles of "KAOS"

Clothing
Red long sleeve T shirt, black "Dickies" type pants

Footwear
Tan steel toed work type boots

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact August 5, 2011
NamUs Case Created July 2, 2017
Last Known Location Map
Location Steamboat, Arizona
Apache County


Circumstances of Disappearance
Derrick was last seen in the Steamboat Standing Rock area of Steamboat, Arizona between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on August 5, 2011. He was walking towards Steamboat Hill to visit his girlfriend, but never arrived. He has never been heard from again.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Maldoror]

Steamboat, AZ is an extremely small town (technically, a CDP) located on the Navajo Nation reservation, surrounded by miles of open desert and wild scrubland and gullys. I think in this case, there is the possibility that the disappeared might have injured himself on the way to his destination, and succumbed to exposure/dehydration.

Steamboat Rock itself is a little bit removed from Steamboat 'proper' (or, at least, from the areas where its population have clustered together), meaning that if he did indeed hurt himself, it makes sense he wasn't heard if he cried for help. And searching for a body in the wilderness is tough, more so than it looks, as all law enforcement and wilderness experts know.

I think in this case, foul play can be for the most part discarded. However, it would still be interesting to know if he had any previous criminal history; other basic facts would be appreciated. Where did he live? How long had he been with his girlfriend? Any enemies?

 

[iulia]

Derrick James Tenorio – The Charley Project

Derrick James Tenorio

Details of Disappearance
Tenorio was last seen in the Steamboat Standing Rock area of Steamboat, Arizona between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on August 5, 2011. He was walking towards Steamboat Hill to visit his girlfriend, but never arrived. He has never been heard from again.

Tenorio's family stated he wasn't affiliated with a gang at the time of his disappearance. He left behind two toddler children, and his girlfriend was pregnant with another when he disappeared. His family believes he met without foul play; they have heard he was badly beaten on the night he went missing. His case remains unsolved.

 

[Maldoror]

they [had] heard he was badly beaten on the night he went missing

Very interesting. Shame we don't know about the person(s) who inflicted the beating, or for what reasons. There must be someone who knows more details, such as his girlfriend or family.

Also, the family's statement that Tenorio "was not affiliated with a gang" means absolutely nothing: individuals routinely hide aspects of their lives from family members, par for the course. Of course, even if he was in a gang and this was gang-related, he still deserves to be found and those who made him 'disappear' be held responsible.

 

[111coffeequeen111]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Derrick seems to closely resemble this UID found in North Komelik Village.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Derrick is still listed as missing

Missing Person / NamUs #MP38888

View NamUs missing person case MP38888 for Derrick James Tenorio missing from Steamboat, Arizona. Date of last contact: Aug 05, 2011. NCMEC case number: --.

namus.nij.ojp.gov

Derrick Tenorio

Age of disappearance: 21 Year of disappearance: 8/5/2011 Area last seen: Steamboat, AZ Last known weight: 185 Last known height: 5'6 Police District in charge: Window Rock Follow

npd.navajo-nsn.gov

Derrick Tenorio, Missing from Arizona since 2011.

A blog about the many missing, murdered, and unidentified Native/Indigenous/Aboriginal women of the United States and Canada. Say Their Names!

www.justicefornativepeople.com

<<Tribal Information: Derrick is Navajo.>>


May 29, 2023

Derrick Tenorio's family remembers what led up to his disapperance

Derrick Tenorio's family from the Navajo Nation say he's been missing for almost 12 years.

www.koat.com

<<His mother said Tenorio was walking through the familiar trails in the area known as "Standing Rock.”

“He was attacked by several guys that were partying up there,” Mego said.

“Later on, I found out that when he went to this party, they had given him a vodka bottle with a lot of painkillers," his brother added.>>

<<"Derrick was walking behind his brother, Cedric," she said. "And all of a sudden, just like that, Cedric says that Derrick just took off into the woods. There was no moon or anything — it was pitch black.”

While Tenorio's family thought he made his way back to his girlfriend's house, he wasn't seen ever again.>>

 

[Pennysmom1]

Derrick James Tenorio – The Charley Project

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Tenorio, circa 2011

 

[Pennysmom1]