The tenacious search for Pauline Diaz, who vanished nearly 14 years ago, has entered a new phase with the unveiling of a billboard in Floresville, an area that her daughters, Paula Diaz Martinez and her sister, believe holds the key to solving the mystery of their mother’s disappearance. Martinez relayed to KSAT that they've spent roughly $200,000 on private investigations and other efforts, and until this point, a billboard was a cost they couldn't cover. Their prayers were recently answered when Search and Support San Antonio and Season of Justice stepped in to fund the billboard, strategically placed on Highway 181, close to where Diaz's truck was discovered.
According to KENS 5, Martinez expresses gratitude for the billboard, which will be displayed for a year, viewing it as a "blessing" and a testament to her faith. The family targeted Floresville for the billboard's placement after Diaz was last seen driving away from her workplace, an H-E-B parking lot on the southeast side, and her possessions were later found in Wilson County.
Pedro Ruiz, Diaz's estranged husband who lived in Wilson County at the time of her disappearance, was the last person reported to have seen her, which has tied the locale inextricably to her case. The new billboard seeks to generate renewed interest and potential tips that could lead to an overdue resolution. Martinez has remained determined, despite some suggesting it may be time to abandon the search. "My sister and I have chosen not to close our eyes. We chose to stand up and fight. Fight for our mother," she told KSAT.
The Diaz sisters hope that the billboard will prompt those with any information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to step forward. "Our goal is to raise awareness, and perhaps people have seen something or know something. There's no piece of information that's too small. Anything that someone remembers, or can tell us or tell the police would be very important, and might be the one piece of the missing puzzle that solves this entire mystery," Lori Whitmeyer from Search & Support San Antonio detailed in an interview with KENS 5. Anyone with information about Pauline Diaz's disappearance is urged to contact the Bexar County Sheriff's Office or Search & Support San Antonio.
