Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina disappeared during a Medellín layover in March, prompting a search that drew support from colleagues and relatives.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The capture of two suspects in Peru has moved the investigation into the death of North Texas flight attendant Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina toward prosecution, more than four months after he disappeared during an American Airlines layover in Colombia.
Gutierrez Molina, a 32-year-old U.S. citizen based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was reported missing after going out in Medellín in March. The U.S. Embassy in Colombia said two people accused of drugging and killing him were later captured in Peru. One suspect has been returned to Colombia, while the other remains detained in Peru.
The arrests follow months of uncertainty for Gutierrez Molina’s family, partner, friends and fellow flight attendants. During the initial search, those close to him described him as an experienced crew member who had worked as a flight attendant for about eight years and shared a home in North Texas with his longtime partner.
Gutierrez Molina was working a flight from Miami with a scheduled layover in Medellín when plans changed and the crew remained in the city longer than expected, according to people close to him. He told friends he planned to go out with a colleague before the next flight.
Family members and officials said the two flight attendants visited a bar in El Poblado, a popular nightlife district. Gutierrez Molina later stopped responding to messages and did not report for work. His partner said the silence was unusual because Gutierrez Molina normally provided updates about his schedule and whereabouts.
The colleague who accompanied him was later found disoriented and taken to a hospital, family and friends said. Authorities have not released a full account of the colleague’s movements, medical condition or last interaction with Gutierrez Molina. The colleague has not been accused of wrongdoing.
As the search continued, airline employees shared missing-person notices and relatives sought information from officials in the United States and Colombia. American Airlines said it was coordinating with law enforcement and supporting Gutierrez Molina’s family. The flight attendants’ union also said it was assisting efforts to find him.
Medellín Mayor Federico Gutierrez said March 27 that search teams had located a body between Jericó and Puente Iglesias. He said the remains were being transported for identification and expressed sympathy to Gutierrez Molina’s relatives. American Airlines later informed employees of his death and called the loss heartbreaking.
The suspects’ capture changes the focus of the case from a search and death investigation to legal proceedings across national borders. Colombian authorities are expected to handle the criminal case, but officials have not released the suspects’ names, detailed the evidence against them or announced a timetable for court hearings.
It also remains unclear when the suspect held in Peru may be transferred, whether that person is contesting removal to Colombia or whether additional arrests are being considered. Officials have not publicly identified a motive beyond the embassy’s statement that the suspects are accused of drugging and killing Gutierrez Molina.
Both suspects are presumed innocent unless convicted. One is in Colombian custody, and the other remains held in Peru as authorities continue the process that could bring both defendants before the Colombian courts.
Author note: Last updated August 4, 2026.