Quito disappearances investigations

In July 2026 Quito saw two high‑profile missing‑person cases. On 18 July, Lizeth Bunshi vanished after leaving her home in the El Tingo area. Police launched an intensive search along the Machángara river, employing drones, canine units and steep‑slope descents. A shoe was recovered, and security‑camera footage linked Bunshi to a man, Cristian Gonzalo V.L., who was placed in preventive detention on suspicion of involuntary disappearance. The prosecutor ordered a 90‑day investigation.

Two days later, 18‑year‑old Doménica Palacios was reported missing from the Iñaquito district. After threatening WhatsApp messages hinted she was held against her will, authorities stepped up the hunt. Investigators visited the home of her ex‑boyfriend for leads. On 22 July, forensic identification confirmed Palacios alive in the Chillogallo area of southern Quito. She described being injured, blindfolded and held in a dark room by two men. The case ended with her safe recovery, while the broader missing‑person investigation continued to draw public attention.

Both incidents underscore Quito’s intensive police response to disappearances, involving rapid searches, suspect detentions and, in one case, a successful rescue.