SAN ANTONIO – A West Side family is hopeful the community can provide information to bring closure to two young children whose father was found dead in Bandera County over the weekend.
The body of Frank Lara, 26, was found in a field in Bandera County.
Maria Sifuentes, Lara's grandmother, said her family had been bracing for the worst. They had been actively looking for him and passing out flyers in hopes that better news would arrive.
This weekend, when news of Lara's death finally arrived, it was bittersweet for his family.
"It sounds kind of bad to say, ‘Happy to hear that they found him,' but (there was some relief) because I just didn't want him to be thrown somewhere in there forever and never have closure for him and for the family," she said. "And with a body, it's easier to get justice for him. It's been a nightmare for everybody."
The father of two was a tattoo artist. His family said the people he had been hanging out with him most recently say they didn't know his whereabouts.
Lara stopped calling his children and his phone was turned off since June 22.
Bandera County Sheriff's Office investigators said the body, which was found by a farmer, was badly decomposed and scattered Saturday. The medical examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine his exact cause of death.
The Sheriff's Office said San Antonio police and the Texas Rangers are taking over the investigation.
The San Antonio Police Department issued the following statement about the case:
"We can confirm that the body of Frank Lara was located over the weekend in Bandera County. Because an investigation into his death is active, this is all the information that we will be releasing for now."
Sifuentes said her family suspects foul play in her grandson's death and they hope the community can help bring them closure.
"I know some people say it's only two months, but to us, it's been an eternity just waiting to find him, and now we want justice," she said.
Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867.