Valley Businessman Missing in Matamoros

Reported by: Farrah Fazal
Last Update: 11:16 pm

CHANNEL 5 NEWS (KRGV, 2010) MCALLEN - John Parks has lived in Matamoros for several years. He used to call his mother and business partner every day. They say he hasn't called since November 4th.

Deborah Parks says the last she heard from her son he was getting ready to take his oldest daughter to the hospital.

Several hours later she saw reports about a deadly gunbattle in Matamoros.

"He lived in the area where some of the killings were," she says.

Parks called her son's business partner Renee Vorbach in McAllen. Vorbach said he hadn't spoken to him for three days.

That's when Parks called the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros.

She was told not to come to the city to look for John. But several phone calls for help the consulate workers asked her to come file a police report with Matamoros Police.

She says after that no one would give her any answers.

"Is he laying there hurt? Injured? He can't get to a phone? All I get is it just takes time, time sometimes time is life," says Parks.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS emailed the consulate for answers. They responded with this statement.

"The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros is aware of the case involving American Citizen John Parks, reported missing to us on November 10, 2010. We have been in communication with the family and local authorities. We provided local Mexican state and local authorities with information on this case, and have contacted other U.S. Consular posts in Mexico and asked them to make inquiries as well. We will continue to work with the family and Mexican authorities on this case."

We're still waiting on a response from Matamoros Police on the case.

http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Va ... 0PE3w.cspx