Selected by Justin: Luis Osvaldo Diego Garcia, missing since 1996 from Ontario, California.
Like with the Sharon Baldeagle case, it’s pretty obvious what happened here. In fact, this is a MWAB case, albeit an unusual once since the suspect, Luis’s boss Woravit “Kim” Mektrakarn, has never been apprehended to face trial. He’s probably in his native Thailand, which has an extradition treaty with the US; they’ve just got to find him first.
Basically what happened is this: Luis was an immigrant working in Mektrakarn’s sweatshop. When he found out he wasn’t being paid the overtime wages due him by law, he threatened to report his boss to the Labor Commission unless Mektrakarn forked over the money. Now, I’m sympathetic with Luis here; Mektrakarn was clearly in the wrong. But when you blackmail a person, you’re poking death with a stick.
The physical evidence against Mektrakarn is very strong; if I were put on the jury I’d probably convict him right here. But until he gets located in Thailand — if that ever happens — there will be no justice. And chances are they’re never going to find Luis’s body.
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