Left and Center: Jose circa, 1981
Right: Age Progressed to age 47
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: August 2, 1981
Missing From: Stockton, San Joaquin County, California
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: July 16, 1965
Age: 16 years old
Height and Weight: 5’4″ and 116 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Hispanic Male, Black hair, Brown eyes, Jose has a brown birthmark on his left cheek and is described as having deep facial dimples, he may have a mustache and might use the nickname “Che”
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A black t-shirt with a zodiac sign imprinted on the front, gray corduroy pants, and a pair of gray sneakers
NCMEC Number: 601047
Details of Disappearance
Jose was last seen in Stockton, California on August 2nd 1981. He was last seen leaving his residence after he told his parents that he was walking down the street from their home and would be back in approximately 2 hours.
Jose never returned and has never been seen or heard from since. In 1989, two men, Luis Pete Gagliasso and Manuel Sanchez Jr., were charged with killing Jose on the day of his disappearance. The two would’ve been teens when the murder occurred and they were reportedly friends with Jose at the time.
The motive for Jose’s alleged murder could have been due to the fact that he found out the two were lovers. One of the two suspects stated that Jose’s remains were buried in Ripon but to date his remains have not been found. The charges against the two were dropped due to lack of evidence.
Jose’s case remains unsolved. Jose was a high school student at Franklin High School in 1981. He played cornet and was thinking of joining the jazz band at the school. Jose has never been located and foul play is suspected in his case.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office 209-468-4425
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children