ARANSAS PASS, Texas — Even after three decades, investigators still don't know what happened to Elisa Roberson.
Roberson was 13 years old when she disappeared on Aug. 6, 1989. The case went cold long ago, but Elisa’s family has never given up hope.
At Kieberger Elementary School, where Elisa was supposed to meet her friend the day she vanished, a memorial sits in Elisa’s honor as a reminder. But for Elisa's family, the memories are there every day.
“Not a day goes by that I don't think about my missing child, not a day,” said Elisa’s mother, Marina Tomchak.
For Tomchak, the memory of the news no mother wants to hear is still has fresh as it was 30 years ago.
”It was horrible really, it was absolutely horrible,” said Tomchak. “That evening was the worst day of my life.”
Ruby Hall was 11 when her sister disappeared. She calls the experience her family has been through a nightmare.
“The nightmare has lasted 30 years; still no closer, no answers, no nothing,” said Hall.
Officially, there are currently no suspects in the case. However, investigators haven't given up.
“We recently brought in some new technology, ground penetrating radar and some things like that,” said Capt. Kyle Rhodes of the Aransas Pass Police Department. “It's allowed us to make some progress into the case.”
Even though the case has been cold for the seven years he’s worked on it, Rhodes does believe Elisa Roberson’s disappearance will be solved.
“I'm not going to sit here and say for sure people are going to be charged with a crime, but I think the potential is there to reach a successful resolution,” said Rhodes.
There is only one successful resolution for Tomchak, and she still holds out hope.
“We want Elisa home,” said Tomchak. “I know it's been 30 years, but a mother would like her child to come home no matter what the situation is.”
Both the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghousehave pages devoted to Elisa Roberson’s disappearance.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Capt. Rhodes at the Aransas Pass Police Department.
