Dec 26, 2008 7:08 pm US/Eastern
Sad Holidays For Brothers Of Missing NYC Woman
25-Year-Old Laura Garza Has Not Been Seen Since Leaving Chelsea Nightclub With Sex Offender On Dec. 3
Family Makes Emotional Plea To Public For Assistance
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Laura Garza, 25, was last seen leaving Marquee nightclub in Manhattan with two men on Dec. 3, 2008.
NYPD
The holiday season has been a difficult one for the family of Laura Garza. She's the recent transplant from Texas to New York who vanished over three weeks ago.
CBS 2 HD spoke Friday with Garza's brothers.
For Ivan and Nick Garza, the holidays have been anything but merry. They are 2,000 miles from their Texas home, aiding in the search for their missing sister, who vanished in the company of a registered sex offender more than three weeks ago.
"It's been very hard, these holidays," Nick Garza said. "We're just thinking about her."
Ivan Garza's birthday was on Dec. 22. He spent Christmas day at a hotel catching up on his sleep. When they can the brothers aid in the search and they speak with their mother in Texas several times a day.
"Right now she's feeling good and has a lot of faith that my little sister is alive," Ivan Garza said.
Laura Garza left a Chelsea nightclub with Michael Mele on Dec. 3 and disappeared. Sources have said all signs point to foul play. Mele, a level 1 sex offender, isn't talking. He's currently jailed on a probation violation.
State police have returned to Mele's apartment repeatedly to search for evidence. The last time -- just a few days ago -- they were accompanied by Mele's girlfriend, a woman named Lindsay Campbell.
"She's not a suspect," State Police Capt. Wayne Olson said. "It's hard to consider her a witness because she doesn't have too much to offer on the immediate case."
Olson said every tip is being checked, and the DNA lab is busy analyzing evidence.
The Garza brothers said they have been overwhelmed by the dedication of investigators and kindness from the Middletown community.
"They see us on the street, park next to us and say they're praying for us," Nick Garza said. "I've never seen that before. It's beautiful. We thank everybody for that."
The brothers said the kindness of strangers helps keep them going in the search for their sister.
The brothers said their money is running low and they're not certain how much longer than can remain in New York, away from their jobs and families in Texas.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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