485 People Are Registered as Missing in Puerto Vallarta

PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – Since 1962, a shocking total of 897 people have gone missing in Puerto Vallarta, a trend that has put the region in the grip of a growing crisis. According to the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons (RNPDNO), of the missing, 671 are men and 226 are women.

Although 412 people, representing 45.9% of the total, have been located over the years, the whereabouts of 485 people, accounting for 54% of disappearances, remain unknown, according to federal and state data.

Jalisco, home to Puerto Vallarta, currently holds the grim distinction of being the entity with the highest number of disappearances nationwide, with a historic tally of 23,801 missing persons. Six out of every ten persons remain unaccounted for, totaling 14,988.

Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination, is experiencing a surge in disappearances, which authorities are struggling to control. During Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez’s tenure alone, 71 people have been reported missing.

One of the latest, high-profile cases is that of Raúl Michel, who was last seen on May 25, the day Vallarta Pride was held. His disappearance, subsequent murder, and the perceived lack of response by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in Disappeared Persons in Puerto Vallarta have thrust this crisis into the public eye. Michel, a young man with a hearing disability and member of the LGBTQ+ community, became another statistic in Puerto Vallarta’s growing list of victims.

In a state comparison, Puerto Vallarta ranks seventh in the number of disappearances, trailing Guadalajara, Zapopan, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Tlaquepaque, Tonalá, and El Salto, according to the historical records.

Despite the federal registry requirement to list neighborhoods with the highest number of missing persons, most city cases lack information on the presumed location of disappearance.

Marisol Madero, Director of the National Prevention Network AC, in an interview with CPS News, cited numerous reasons for the growing number of disappearances, including social conditions in Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta’s high transient population. She also highlighted forced recruitment, sexual exploitation, kidnapping, and other crimes as significant contributing factors.

2019 marked the year with the highest number of disappearances: 135 men and 71 women. The majority of the disappeared women are young and minors, with at least 119 under 19 years of age, while most male victims are between 24 and 34 years old.

Of the total missing persons, 620 men and 207 women are of Mexican origin. International victims include 14 Canadians, 12 Americans, two Colombians, two Russians, a Salvadoran, a Venezuelan, a Guatemalan, and a Romanian woman.

In response to these alarming figures, the Jalisco government announced its efforts towards creating a state registry of missing persons. This move comes after media outlets and academics found that the state government does not report the number of missing persons to the RNPDNO as per the search files.

The state government maintains that it has complied with the requirements stipulated by the Missing Persons Law of the state of Jalisco, despite the apparent discrepancy in numbers. The law recognizes a missing person as someone whose location is unknown, regardless of whether their absence is linked to a crime or not.

Governor Enrique Alfaro has asserted that the state system’s data is accurate and reflects the reality in Jalisco. He further argued that the federal figures contain duplicate entries, indicating a lack of up-to-date record-keeping.

The mothers of the victims, faced with the authorities’ failure to find the missing and accurately account for the cases, have taken it upon themselves to form their search groups. On May 27, one such group uncovered human remains and bone fragments on a property known as Colinas Campestres, in El Colorado.

These groups lament the inability and lack of commitment by the authorities, criticizing them for merely collecting what was found in plain sight, rather than thoroughly excavating the area for further evidence.

PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - Since 1962, a shocking total of 897 people have gone missing in Puerto Vallarta, a trend that has put the region . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • protests3Mexico City Protests: There is a fine line between anti-gentrification and xenophobia The line between anti-gentrification and racism is clear if you choose to see it: genuine activism targets policy and practice, not nationality or ethnicity. I have lived in Mexico for two decades, and I have never witnessed the level of anti-American sentiment that exists today. All of it is tied to the buzzword "gentrification," a…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • puerto-vallarta-police-chase-bahia-de-banderasPuerto Vallarta police chase ends in deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas A Puerto Vallarta police chase along Highway 200 ended in a deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas, leaving two people dead. A high-speed chase that began in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and ended in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, left at least two people dead and raised new questions about police engagement and road safety in the…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
  • Body with signs of crocodile attack found in Ameca River, a leg was found last monthPurple Flag Warns Beachgoers after Crocodile at Los Muertos Beach Authorities raised a purple flag after a crocodile at Los Muertos Beach was spotted swimming near shore, advising visitors to avoid entering the water until safety checks ended. Local authorities recorded a crocodile swimming in the vicinity of Los Muertos Beach, one of Puerto Vallarta’s busiest tourist spots. Lifeguards spotted the reptile in shallow water…
  • cancun-beaches-50-tons-sargassum-cleanupSargassum in Quintana Roo Hits 76 Beaches from Cancun to Tulum, Only 24 Clean Beaches Sargassum in Quintana Roo has reached moderate to excessive levels on 76 beaches—including Cancun—as cleanup crews race to protect tourism and coastal ecosystems. A recent survey from the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network and the Sargassum Citizen Observatory shows 76 out of 100 beaches on the state’s Caribbean coast now face moderate to excessive seaweed…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • puerto vallarta loses three blue flag beachesPuerto Vallarta retains four Blue Flag Beaches, down from eight Puerto Vallarta will enter the 2025–2026 season with four international Blue Flag distinctions in Puerto Vallarta, even after tourism-driven environmental damage cost it half of its previous honors. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in Mexico confirmed that three resort flags will be revalidated at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, The Westin Resort &…
Scroll to Top