Missing: Isabel Celis
Chief Villasenor: "We will find out"
Tucson Police hopes for that big break in the Celis case
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On day 37 of the search for Isabel, Tucson's top cop says he's confident his team will eventually crack the case. Video by kgun9.com
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The police files reveal how detectives followed some of the more than one thousand leads they have received in this case.
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The chief says detectives await the 'break' in the case he says will solve the crime. He believes someone who has information on the disappearance has yet to come forward with the clue that will help find Isabel.
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The police chief in charge of finding Isabel Celis says detectives have made tremendous progress in the month-old disappearance case, but await the break that will solve it.
Reporter: Marcelino Benito
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - The Celis family nightmare continued entering its 37th day. Little Isabel Celis is still missing. Meanwhile detectives continue to pour over the mountains of information and police reports released to 9OYS late last week. KGUN 9 sat down with Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor to get his take on what the future of the search for Isabel holds.
"We've made tremendous progress," Villasenor said. "Every time we eliminate a possible theory, it takes us one step closer to finding out what actually occurred."
Villasenor made it clear his department is committed to bringing Isabel home and finding whoever did it. But to do it, they're going to need some help.
"We will hope for that one tip that will provide us that big break," he said.
Thirty-seven days in that break still hasn't come. It's been a roller coaster ride of a case that's kept Tucson waiting for the next unexpected turn. It's a case that's seen it all including a father's emotional plea for his daughter.
"We will never give up, we will never stop looking for you," said Sergio Celis, Isabel's father.
The search has included a massive volunteer effort including flyering campaigns and car washes. Volunteers, alongside Rebecca Celis, even organized candlelight walks to inspire hope. There's also been moments of uncertainty, when the Celis family voluntarily split at the request of Child Protective Services.
"My husband is a great father, he loves those boys, loves Isabel, is a great husband," said Rebecca during a May 18th interview with reporter Marcelino Benito.
At the forefront of the drama surrounding the case, the face of six-year-old Isabel. Officers have scoured every corner of the city, including the Los Reales landfill. And just last week the more than 550 pages of police reports show the tips have come in, but VIllasenor says the right person hasn't called yet.
"It may be someone with this weighing on their conscience," Villasenor said. "They may know something or know someone who does and they're fighting the urge to call us. Stop fighting it and just call."
Manpower is now down to 30 detectives plus personnel. No more press conferences on the horizon either, so 9OYS wanted to know: what does this mean for the future of the investigation? Has whoever done this baffled, even stumped TPD? Chief Villasenor has a message to whoever abducted Isabel.
"I wouldn't rest comfortably," Villasenor said. "I've got very talented, very dedicated people working on this all the time. We will find out."
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