SOCORRO, N.M. (AP) — Parts of a missing woman's seven-year-old case file have disappeared.
The Socorro County Sheriff's Department and state police are attempting to find documents related to searches of the property where Lilly Lopez lived with her boyfriend Michael Quintana, reported KRQE-TV (http://bit.ly/2i0Tkzd ).
Quintana reported her missing in 2009 after one of her daughters called looking for her.
He said he thought she was with her children.
Sheriff William Armijo said he takes "full responsibility for the missing file."
"We're going to have to start from scratch. We're going to have to re-interview everybody and anybody involved," Armijo said. "We're going to have to go back out to the property and basically start this investigation all over again."
Armijo says a former undersheriff remembers the file containing agency statements and photographs.
"He didn't remember exactly to detail what was in there," Armijo said. "He remembered seeing statements from other agencies, there were photographs in there, beyond that there wasn't a whole lot in that file due to the lack of evidence that was obtained at the scene."
The thin file now contains a single statement and a missing person's report.
Armijo said the missing files will not stop the department from finishing its investigation.
"I just don't know where it was put," Armijo said. "But I will find it. We're determined that we will find it."
The department has a new policy on checking out files.
Samuel Hutton is asking anyone with information on his mother's disappearance to come forward.
"I would ask that you dig deep into your heart," Hutton said. "If you know something just please call and tell us. We want to know what happened to our mom."
The sheriff's department has found no evidence of a crime in the disappearance.
"The idea that she's out there, living her life selfishly trying to get away is kind of ludicrous. She's not capable of living on her own," Hutton said of his mother, who he said is developmentally disabled.
Anyone with tips is asked to call the department.