Alvarado case featured on Dateline NBC

The Eric Alvarado Case received much-needed national coverage as the family continues to mourn and seek answers to Alvarado’s disappearance four years later. In an article published on the NBC News website Dateline on Dec. 17, 2022, by Sarah Portney, the author shared many of the same facts that have been broad- casted locally through the Journal-Sun and other area news outlets.

In the article, Eric’s older brother, Matt Alvarado, also spoke with Dateline. Both he and his father say Eric was acting strangely right before he disappeared. Dateline reached out to Samantha Alvarado, then wife of Eric, for a quote, however at the time of the article she had not got back to them. However, in 2019, Samantha did talk to NBC Affiliate KTAL, “and described the day Eric disappeared, saying that after Eric left, ‘the front door was wide open, the screen door was wide open, the dogs were gone, he was gone, the Jeep was gone.’ She also noted that Eric left the house without his cell phone. ‘We just want him home,’” she said at the time. Captain Restelle (who was not involved in the case at the time) and Detective Sergeant Jeb Newkirk, of the Atlanta Police Department, “told Dateline earlier this month that there are currently no suspects in Eric’s disappearance. ‘We’ve interviewed everyone that’s been called in or we’ve received a tip on or received information about,’ Captain Restelle said. ‘And nothing that we can move forward with or substantiate has been developed out of any of that.’” Restelle also noted in the article that he believed that the Texas Rangers received Eric’s cell phone. “Eric’s family said they haven’t heard if any data was recovered.” As far as DNA evidence Det. Newkirk replied, “As far as any kind of DNA evidence that we’ve recovered at any point during the investigation, no.” That said, Dateline NBC did note that DNA had been turned in from Eric in case something was found.

In an article published earlier this year, it was noted that Eric originally went missing on November 20th, 2018, in Atlanta, Texas.

It was said that Eric left his home around 1:30 a.m. driving his dark blue jeep liberty with his two pit bulls Chico and Bane, but never returned.

After 45 minutes or so of Eric leaving to go to the store to purchase tobacco products it was reported that his wife, Samantha Dawn Alvarado, got a little worried and called the police.

There was nothing the police could do since it hadn’t been long enough for a missing person’s report to be made. As time passed, Eric still hadn’t returned home, so his wife and some others started driving around to look for him. But still nothing. His phone was reportedly out of minutes so was left at home and Samantha had no way to call and try to contact him. Around six hours later Eric’s jeep, which he left in, was found right inside the border of Ogden, Arkansas by a big open field. It was later returned to Samantha. Four days later, on November 24th, the family got together and conducted a search in the area when Eric’s jeep was found. While doing the search, they came across Eric’s dogs, who were deceased. According to those on the scene, one of the dogs looked mangled and in bad shape. They were found around a mile from where Eric’s jeep was found. Eric’s shoe was also found with a tow tag in that same shoe.

The tow tag was from November 20th when Eric’s jeep was originally found and was tagged by the police. Arkansas police came out and talked with the family followed by searching themselves. They searched for around two hours, but nothing else was found. The family was advised that since Eric was missing from Atlanta, Texas, they needed to contact the police and concluded there was foul play involved but did not believe Eric was ever there.

Atlanta police department came out and did some more searching just a few days later. While on that search, they found Eric’s keys hanging from a gate, around a mile from where the jeep and dogs were found. What was strange was that the keys were not thrown, rather in fact, they were clipped to a fence.

Four years later, the family is still desperate for answers. In a post on social media, Cynthia Alvarado, says, “He deserves to have people fighting for him. He deserves to have friends ‘NOW’ when he was a friend to so many. There shouldn’t be another year that goes by without us knowing something! I’ve lived in Cass County for six years, so I know how close-knit this community is and that’s why I know somebody out there knows something more than what is being said. You can contact me or his brother at the email below or you can drop a text or phone call. For all, it matters you can stay anonymous. We hold no judgment; we are just seeking answers.” That contact information was: findingericalvarado@outlook. com and (317)4945933 (Matthew Alvarado).

Alvarado, a Hispanic male, was between 6’5” and 6’7” tall and weighed around 280-300 lbs. at the time of his disappearance. He had black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a light gray zip-up jacket, white t-shirt, camouflage pajama pants, and house shoes. Alvarado wears prescription glasses and has multiple tattoos including a large cross on his back and multiple chest tattoos.

In the Dateline NBC article, it was noted that a journalist from Indianapolis journalist Kathy Crisp, along with his friend Melissa Vaughn has continued to investigate the case but so far authorities and family have been stumped. Four years later, family and friends continue to beg for answers. The family believes there are answers out there, someone just needs to be brave enough to come forward, even anonymously.

If you have any information about Alvarado, contact the law enforcement involved: Atlanta Police Department at 903-7967973, the Little River Sheriff ’s Department at 870898-5115, or Texas Ranger Joshua Mason at 903-2555727. You can also send tips to the Journal-Sun at reporter@casscountynow. com.