Missing American Airlines Flight Attendant in Colombia

The partner of an American Airlines flight attendant, who vanished in Colombia, is feeling “devastated” but still holds some hope for his safety.

“I want to believe that he is alive, but every day I wake up without any news, and it just makes the day feel longer,” Ernesto Carranza shared with CBS News.

Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, based in Dallas-Fort Worth, didn’t make it to his scheduled Medellin-Miami flight on Sunday morning. This absence came just hours after he had gone out with colleagues, raising concerns among authorities that he might have taken drugs.

As Carranza’s anxiety mounted that morning, she found it strange that she couldn’t reach her 32-year-old boyfriend, who had both work and personal cell phones. To add to her worry, she noticed his phones ringing from two different locations.

“Both places were far from where he planned to spend the night,” she noted.

One of those phones was ringing from an Airbnb in El Poblado, roughly 19 miles from the airport in Medellin.

Before heading out, Carranza had told Eric, “Good night, stay safe, and I love you.” He replied with, “Okay, I love you. I’m going out to hang with the crew.”

Later, Eric and a colleague met two men at a club, deciding to “take the party somewhere else,” according to friend Shalom Gil.

“I’m losing a part of myself. He’s the most fun person I’ve ever been around. We’re so lost right now,” Carranza expressed, revealing the depth of her pain.

Gil mentioned that, even though he knew where she was, he had stopped receiving messages on her phone.

Local authorities in Medellin pointed out that some individuals accompanying the flight crew had prior convictions related to theft using scopolamine, a drug dubbed “Devil’s Breath.”

Warnings have surfaced regarding tourists having their drinks spiked with subtle drugs in Colombia’s nightlife hotspots. The U.S. Embassy in Colombia has highlighted these dangers.

“Ingestion or exposure to scopolamine can render victims unconscious for up to 24 hours,” the embassy warned, making them easy targets for crime.

Authorities have managed to identify the vehicle and cellphones that the suspects used.

A missing persons report has been filed with both Colombian and American law enforcement. Additionally, Eric’s father has traveled to Colombia to assist in the search.

While the FBI may collaborate with embassies and local authorities, former agent Ken Gray cautioned that the FBI will not lead the investigation. “The FBI must work with the respective police force in that country,” he explained.