Melissa Alaniz

Twelve-year-old Melissa Alaniz was last seen on March 7, 1987 in El Paso, Texas. She went to play video games at a convenience store and never came home.

Two weeks prior to her disappearance, Melissa ran away from home after a family argument, but she returned home after two days. 

During 1987, several females disappeared from El Paso. Most of them were found murdered and buried in the desert. The victims are described as small, slender young women in their teens and early 20s. 

A serial rapist named David Leonard Wood was convicted of murdering six of the victims from El Paso. He was sentenced to death in 1993; however, his sentence remains under appeal due to his lawyers claiming that he is intellectually disabled. He has not been charged in connection with Melissa's case.

As of 2023, Melissa remains missing.