A dead corpse was found between the towns of Jericó and Puente Iglesias, a region southwest of the city, and authorities in Medellín reported a significant development on Friday. Federico Gutiérrez, the mayor of Medellín, verified the discovery and stated that there was a “very high probability” that the remains belonged to Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a 32-year-old flight attendant for American Airlines who had been missing for a few days.
The mayor personally informed Gutierrez Molina’s father, who had gone to Colombia to help with the search, when the body was taken to the city’s coroner’s office for official identification.
The discovery came after an intensive, multi‑day effort involving local authorities, investigators, and the victim’s loved ones. Search teams had expanded their operations beyond Medellín as clues suggested Gutierrez Molina may have been taken far from where he was last seen.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses, and traced digital signals in hopes of reconstructing his final movements. The case had drawn national attention in both Colombia and the United States, heightening pressure to find answers.
Gutierrez Molina was first reported missing after he failed to report for duty following a scheduled layover in Medellín. His disappearance was immediately considered suspicious because he had been expected to work a return flight to Miami that same day. Loved ones described him as responsible and reliable, making his sudden silence deeply alarming. His partner and family members quickly flew to Colombia, insisting that something was terribly wrong.
Friends later revealed that Gutierrez Molina had gone out with a female co‑worker during the layover. While they were out, an unknown man approached them and attempted to spend time with the pair. According to those close to the situation, the co‑worker was later drugged, though she survived and provided information to investigators. Her account became a crucial part of the early investigation, suggesting the pair may have been targeted.
Authorities determined that Gutierrez Molina’s phone last pinged in a residential area of Medellín, but he was not found there. The signal provided only a partial clue, and investigators warned that the device could have been moved or discarded. As hours passed with no contact, concern grew that the flight attendant had been abducted or harmed.
What began as a routine layover for an American Airlines crew quickly spiraled into a tragic international investigation. The discovery of the body near Jericó and Puente Iglesias now marks a turning point in the case, as authorities work to confirm the identity and uncover what happened in the hours after Gutierrez Molina was last seen alive.
