need to know
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Ernest Joe Manzanares, 23, left home on July 28, 1988, to meet two family members and never returned, according to relatives.
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In July 2009, human remains were discovered on land now known as the Lake Hiawatha Preserve, but despite an extensive investigation, the case went cold.
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Decades later, after further analysis, the remains were determined to belong to Manzanares
Remains discovered nearly 17 years ago have been identified as that of a man who left home in 1988 and never returned.
Ernest Joe Manzanares, 23, last seen leaving home on July 28, 198
“Ernest left his family one night and never came back,” retired Oko Police Detective Michelle Grogan said at a news conference Friday, Feb. 13. “His family has lived for forty years without answers. They don’t know where he is, what happened to him or if they will ever see him again.”
Years later, in July 2009, crews clearing weeds discovered human remains on land now known as the Lake Hiawatha Preserve, the Clermont Police Department said in a statement.
“Forensic consultation with the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida and the Fifth District Medical Examiner confirmed that the remains are human and belong to an adult male,” police continued. “Evidence was submitted for forensic and DNA analysis in 2009.”
However, despite an extensive investigation, police say the case remains unsolved.
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The Medical Examiner’s Office received approval for a genetic genealogy grant through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last June, Clermont police said.
With the approval of the police, the medical examiner’s office submitted the case evidence to Othram, which specializes in using DNA technology to solve cold cases. On December 29, investigators were notified that the remains belonged to Manzanares.
“This identification reflects years of persistence and cooperation,” Clermont Police Chief Malcolm Draper said in a press statement. “While the case grew cold, it will never be forgotten. Advances in forensic science, combined with the dedication of our investigative partners, led to answers that would have been impossible in 2009.”
“We are pleased that this identification has brought some level of relief to the Manzanares family,” added Ocoee Police Chief Vincent Ogburn. “They now have the opportunity to lay their loved one to rest.”
Grogan said at a news conference Friday that calling Manzanares’ daughter was bittersweet. “She was grateful to finally have answers and bring her father home,” Grogan said. “But like any child, she always hoped her father would be back in her life one day.”
Although investigators don’t know when Manzanares disappeared, Grogan said at a news conference that she spoke with Manzanares’ mother in 2022, who wanted to “clear up the misunderstanding.”
According to Grogan, the family “experienced domestic violence” before her son’s disappearance, according to his mother, and in addition to moving from Colorado to live with the family, Manzanares convinced his father, who is now deceased, to move out.
His mother also said Manzanares allegedly heard that his father and another now-deceased relative were planning to sell his sister and niece, who were 7 and 8 years old at the time, respectively, to a motorcycle gang they belonged to.
“I think in this day and age you would call it human trafficking,” Grogan said.
As he left to confront them, Manzanares told his mother he planned to return later that night, leaving behind his wallet and jacket.
When asked, Grogan said at this stage of the investigation they don’t have any more answers about what may have happened to Manzanares.
The investigation is ongoing.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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