Disappearance and Tragic Discovery of Paola Andrea After Taking a Ride-Share Taxi
A 23-year-old woman disappeared in Mexicali after taking a ride-share taxi. Her body was found on July 11
On Sunday, July 7, Paola Andrea Bañuelos Flores, 23, was reported missing in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, after leaving the bar La Consentida in Mexicali's nightclub zone. She got into a ride-share taxi alone in the early morning hours, heading home.
The young woman was a student in her final semester of psychology at the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), never arrived at her destination. Her family immediately began searching for her, sharing her photo on social media.
Mireya Flores, Paola's mother, expressed hope of finding her daughter alive. However, on Thursday, July 11, authorities reported that a K-9 unit found her body in the ejido Islas Agrarias B in the Mexicali Valley.
Paola was still wearing the clothes she was last seen in: a black and white striped blouse and a blue denim skirt. The Baja California State Attorney General's Office indicated that, due to the condition of the body, it is believed Paola died several days before she was found.
The vehicle she boarded, a black Versa, was found abandoned in an undisclosed location.
Investigations point to the ride-share driver, Sergio Daniel Gutierrez, 23, originally from Ciudad Obregón, Sonora. He voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Sonora after receiving threats and not having the opportunity to defend himself.
Sergio, who faces arrest warrants for domestic violence and assault, will be transferred to Mexicali to face charges. His criminal background, being the last person to see Paola Andrea Bañuelos Flores alive, and the suspicious abandonment of the taxi make him the main suspect in the femicide.