A flight attendant for American Airlines vanished during an overnight layover in Colombia, according to authorities.
Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, who was based in Dallas-Fort Worth, arrived in Medellín Saturday night on a flight from Miami and was supposed to return the following day, local media reported.
The news was shared on X by Alejandro Murcia, a U.S.-based elected official who represents Colombians abroad, who urged people to help find Molina. “His family is desperate,” he wrote.
The 32-year-old had decided to go out to bars in the area and had met two men at a club before deciding to “take the party to another place,” according to Sharom Gil, a close friend of Molina’s.
Gil told Telemedellín that Molina had not returned to his hotel and that his whereabouts remained unknown.
The station later confirmed that suspects had been identified in the disappearance, citing law enforcement sources. The report also said that investigators believe Molina was drugged.
He sent a message early Sunday morning with his location pinpointed at an Airbnb in El Poblado, Telemedellín reported. His friends then lost contact with him.
“We have nothing more,” Gil told the outlet. “We were able to locate the phone which is in a residential area there in Medellín, but we haven't been able to talk to him, our messages no longer reach him.”
In an interview with CBS News, Molina’s partner, Ernesto Carranza, said the flight attendant was out in a bar with a colleague when he vanished. The El Poblado is known for its nightlife and is popular with tourists.
“I want to believe that he's alive, and I want to continue believing that he's alive, but throughout each day you wake up not knowing anything, and it makes the days go by longer and slower,” Carranza said.
A missing persons report has been filed in both Dallas and Medellín and American Airlines has reportedly notified the embassy in Colombia of the incident.
"We are actively engaged with local law enforcement officials in their investigation and doing all we can to support our team member's family during this time," American Airlines said in a statement shared with The Independent.
The Independent has contacted the Dallas Police Department for comment on Molina’s disappearance.
A travel advisory put out by the U.S. State Department in April 2025 warned Americans to “reconsider travel” to Colombia.
“Violent crime is common in many areas in Colombia,” the advisory reads. “This includes murder, assault, and robbery. In some places, organized crime is rampant. This includes extortion, robbery, and kidnapping.”
The advisory remains in effect.
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