Cold and Missing: Esther ‘Lizette’ Galaz

In December 1994, six-year-old Esther Lizette Galaz, known to her loved ones as Lizette, vanished from her Tucson apartment complex after stepping outside for just a moment. A bright, caring first-grader, Lizette was last seen near a local convenience store before seemingly disappearing without a trace. As police launched a frantic search, two young witnesses reported seeing a girl matching Lizette’s description being forced into a small pickup truck. The next day, the case took a heartbreaking turn when Lizette’s body was discovered hidden under a discarded mattress in a nearby wash. Evidence pointed to a brutal crime, but despite early leads and a potential connection to other assaults in the area, her case went cold. Now, decades later, advancements in DNA technology have breathed new life into the investigation, with police expanding their se ...