What happened to Rudy Farias?
Rudy Farias IV was found on June 29, 2023, a reappearance that set off a story with many twists and turns, but few answers.
At first, it seemed like a miracle, a happy ending to a years-long search. Rudy Farias – who was reported missing back in 2015 – was found. Alive. In the same city where he disappeared. But that celebration was short-lived as the story twisted and turned in the days that followed.
In this KHOU 11+ special, we’re walking you through this case, breaking down what we know to be true, what we know to be false and what we just don’t know yet. Even as we're sharing this, there is an open Houston police investigation and answers to many questions aren't yet available.
The basics Many characters involved in twisted story
First, the basics. This case centers around Rudolph Farias IV, better known as Rudy. He was reported missing on March 7, 2015 by his mother, Janie Santana. His half-brother Charles and father, Rudolph Farias III, passed away before his disappearance. After Rudy was “found,” the public has also gotten to know some of his aunts, Pauline Sanchez and Sylvia Sanchez Lopez, and cousin, Michelle Rodriguez.
What happened to Rudy's father? The HPD veteran was the focus of a KHOU 11 investigation
The first time Houston viewers heard the name Rudolph Farias was back in 2014 when Rudy’s father, Rudolph Farias III, took his own life in a police parking garage. The 21-year HPD veteran had been relieved of duty and ordered to turn in his badge just hours earlier.
Why? Because, for weeks, KHOU 11 had been investigating a ticket-rigging scam involving Farias and three other officers. Read investigator Jeremy Rogalski's initial story about the scandal here.
The other three officers involved in the scam were Gregory Rosa, John Garcia and Robert Manzanales. They all pleaded guilty to felony charges but avoided jail time. The City of Houston also dismissed all speeding tickets issued by the four officers involved in the ticket-rigging scandal.
Family members told us later that losing his dad had a big impact on Rudy. As already mentioned, he’d lost his brother in a 2011 motorbike crash.
Rudy reported missing HPD says the teen did run away, but returned within a day
On March 6, 2015, Rudy’s mom Janie Santana alleged the 17-year-old took the dogs for a walk near their home around Tidwell and CE King in Northwest Houston. The next day, when she reported him missing, she told police the dogs came back, but Rudy didn’t.
We have since learned, according to Houston police, that is true: Rudy ran away. But, investigators say, he returned home just a day later. Information that, they say, was never conveyed to searchers.
That’s clear when you look at this Facebook post from Texas EquuSearch. The search-and-rescue organization shared it on March 7, 2015 with updates about the search for Rudy on March 10, 12 and 13. After getting two trucks stuck in rain-soaked fields and roads, EquuSearch announced on the 13th that it was temporarily suspending the search until more information became available.
Efforts to find Rudy didn’t stop, though. Just more than a year after he was reported missing, KHOU 11 reporter Rucks Russell spoke to Janie Santana about the search for Rudy.
That story first aired on May 25: National Missing Children’s Day. That same day in 2017, the Texas Center for the Missing unveiled a billboard to help generate leads to find Rudy. That billboard along the Eastex Freeway near Humble wasn’t the only one featuring Rudy. Clear Channel Outdoor Americas also broadcast his photo on digital billboards 1,200 times a day for a month.
That brings us to September 2018, when Houston Police say they got a call, telling them Rudy was living outside a family member’s house. HPD says its officers followed up and didn’t find Rudy.
Rudy "found" More than 8 years after he was reported missing, Rudy turned up at a Houston church
For years, as far as the public was concerned, the case went cold. Then, what appeared to be a break in the case: On June 29, 2023, a good Samaritan found Rudy in front of a Houston church about 25 minutes away from where he was last seen eight years before. That person called 911. Officers say they were able to identify Rudy because he was wearing a necklace that belonged to his late brother. Reporter Anayeli Ruiz caught us up on what we knew as of July 3.
What really happened? Neighbors, family, activists and investigators share details about Rudy's "disappearance"
The week after Rudy's reappearance is when things started to take a turn. Neighbors came forward, claiming Rudy had been living with his mother this entire time. Family came forward, claiming those photos of Rudy in the hospital were actually from 2012. And community activist Quanell X came forward, claiming he talked to Rudy himself. On July 5, Grace White shared Quanell’s allegations and the reaction from Rudy’s family.
After Quanell X’s comments, Houston police announced they’d hold a press conference the next morning to update the public on their investigation. Detectives disputed those disturbing allegations, saying Rudy never disclosed abuse to them during their conversations.
Some of the new details they revealed included that he returned home the day after he was reported missing. But, officers said his mother deceived them, telling them a nephew was the one living with her.
HPD pushed for charges for both Rudy and his mom for giving them false names but said the district attorney’s office declined to pursue them until the investigation was complete. And Chief Troy Finner insisted multiple times it is only just getting started.
Pressed about whether Rudy was sexually assaulted or suffered sexual abuse, investigators wouldn’t say whether they believed Rudy was a victim. They did say – at the time he disappeared – he was 17 and considered an adult in the state of Texas.
After that press conference, Rudy’s aunts expressed a lot of anger. In an interview, they said they felt like HPD failed them and that more needed to be done to protect Rudy.
Another big question now is where is Rudy’s mom? Where is Janie Santana? Grace White tried to get that answer.
On Friday, July 7, Quanell X held another press conference in which he made it clear he stands by the statements he made earlier in the week. He said he doesn’t believe Rudy is safe and vows to continue to fight for someone to help Rudy.
We have heard from Rudy. He refuted some of Quanell’s claims, telling other news outlets he felt like he had Stockholm Syndrome.
That catches us up to July 12. Still so many questions and not many answers, though we certainly know more now than we did on June 29 when Rudy reappeared.