Elizabeth Guzman describes her brother Frank, a PhD student in anthropology at UT Austin, as an eternal wanderer.
“He loves traveling and learning. I don’t think he was ever meant to settle down somewhere,” Elizabeth said. “He wants to be a part of the world.”
Frank Daniel Guzman was reported missing by the Texas Department of Public Safety after he was last seen in Austin on July 18.
Elizabeth mentioned that her brother was traveling through Mexico with his wife, Caroline Katba. Friends and family lost contact with the couple on July 22, and their last known location was Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, Mexico.
Guzman and Katba were driving to Chile for Guzman’s doctoral research at UT Austin in a gray 2016 Toyota Prius hatchback with Texas license plate SDM 2449.
Earlier this month, Elizabeth informed the FBI, and her life has since been consumed with finding answers.
“There’s a version of me that felt normal before all of this, and now I can’t be,” Elizabeth said. “I’m a sibling who desperately misses her brother and sister-in-law.”
Nestor Rincon, a friend of Frank since high school, expressed his concerns.
“Now it’s getting to the point where you’re thinking about the bad scenarios,” Rincon said. “Are there going to be any more memories to make? Or is this what we have left?”
Elizabeth clings to hope, determined to uncover the truth.
“They had a lot more going for them than most people I know, and if something or someone got in the way of that, it’s heartbreaking,” Elizabeth said.
The U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning for Veracruz, advising increased caution due to violent crime and gang activity, especially in Cordoba and Coatzacoalcos. While most gang-related violence is targeted, bystanders can be affected, and impromptu roadblocks requiring payment are common.
UT Austin and both American and Mexican authorities are working to find the couple. Anyone with information can contact the DPS Missing Persons Clearinghouse.
KVUE News reached out to UT for details about the search. While the university couldn’t provide specific information, they confirmed that their international critical incident response team is collaborating with the State Department and other embassies to locate travelers.
Source: KVUE
