Missing Odessa Mother Could be Related to Remains Found in Gardendale

In 2017 I wrote about a pregnant mother of two who went missing (here).  At the time I had spent some time on searching for records for her husband at the time.  What I found was very telling.

Ana Bell Juarez went missing on January 27^th, 1997…maybe.  At the time of her disappearance Ana Bell lived with her husband Oscar Torres Juarez and their two children.  Her husband said the last time he saw her was on the early morning of January 27^th, 1997.  He said that Ana Bell was pregnant by another man and had planned to obtain an abortion in Ojinaga, Mexico during the day.  He said he saw her get into a white pick up truck with an unidentified woman.  He never saw or heard from her again after that day.

Ana Bell Juarez was last seen by her husband, supposedly leaving to Mexico, with a woman he didn’t recognize, to get an abortion.  She did not come home that day or any other.  She didn’t call and as far as I can tell from what I’ve read, she didn’t leave with luggage filled with her belongings like one would if they were planning on not returning.  However, even though the mother of his children didn’t come home or call it was not Ana Bells husband who reported her missing, it was her mother and it wasn’t until three months later.

Margarita Gardner reported her daughter missing April 10^th, although there are reports that say her family, including Oscar, tried to report her missing in February.  She tells authorities that she would never just up and leaver her two children, Dimond and Treasure.  She also tells authorities that her husband Oscar had a violent temper and was abusive.  Ana Bells sister said that the last time she spoke to her was on January 27^th, she was distraught.  Her sister offered to fly Ana Bell and the two children from Texas to Florida to live with her but asked that she give her until the first part of February to make arrangements.  Ana bell told her sister that she thought she was pregnant but didn’t have the money for a test.  Ana Bell was missing before her sister could send for her.  The information from the sister that she spoke to Ana Bell and she did in fact mention that she thought she was pregnant confirms part of Oscars story.  I can see how that story, especially in the 90’s, would make perfect sense.  People used to travel across the border all the time with little to no problems for all kinds of things, medical treatment, dental work ect… It was just cheaper and there was no messing around insurance stuff.  I can also see how a woman in a marriage with a violent, abusive man might want to leave with nothing but the clothes on her back in order to get away from him.  However, he family says there is no way she would leave her children.  I tend to agree.

I don’t know if Ana bell decided to run away to Mexico the day after her sister offered to fly her and her two small children from Texas to live with her in Florida, abandoning her kids to be left alone with a man who was possibly abusive.  Shortly after her disappearance her husband moved out of the family home and away from the area.  There are no traceable records to verify any of what is thought to have happened when she went missing.  There are no receipts from purchases, she didn’t use her credit cards or social security number again after that.  What I do know is that Oscar Juarez has a criminal record.  He has a record of breaking the law and lying to law enforcement.

Ana Bell Juarez was last spoken to on January 26^th, 1997, she has never been seen or heard from again.  Her family, her children still do not know what happened to her.