Mercedes Clement has now been missing for over a year. Police are requesting the help of the media and the public in raising awareness and therefore inspiring people to submit much-needed tips about her case.
By spreading her pictures and the information authorities already have on this year-long case, investigators are trying to keep this case from turning into a cold one.
Mercedes Clement was 25 years old when she was last seen on October 11, 2020. Surveillance video from that date shows Clement at the Koko Apartments in Dallas, walking with a man across the parking lot, according to Abc News.
Investigators stated that the surveillance video stopped recording for over seven hours that night. Patty Belew, Dallas Police Department’s homicide detective, asked if such glitches are normal when confirming the glitch with the company of the camera system. The company replied, “Not so much.”
Belew was assigned to Clement’s case after it was transferred to homicide from missing persons when authorities began investigating the possibility of foul play.
Alicia Gazotti, Clement’s mother, stated that her daughter called friends on October 11, 2020, around 10:30 p.m., and sounded worried.
“She called a couple of her friends and she told one girl in particular she was scared, she needed a ride to her car. Her friend said it was just eerily quiet… and the phone disconnected and that was it…” Gazotti shared.
According to WFAA, the day after Clement disappeared, her car was towed with her purse, wallet and keys inside.
Currently, detectives are looking into multiple people of interest. Tanner Losson, 36, has been identified as the last man Clement was seen with. Losson is being held at the Dallas County Jail on charges unrelated to the missing person case. He has so far refused to speak to detectives about Clement and claims he knows nothing about it.
On Thursday, December 16, detectives continued to follow tips they received and began searching areas in Wylie and Dallas. Clement had previously used drugs, so authorities are looking into people she knew in the past as well.
Mercedes Clement is 5 foot 6 inches tall, 120 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes. She has a birthmark on her chin that looks similar to a bruise, as well as multiple tattoos, including two large bows on her thighs. She was last seen wearing shorts and a black tank top with thin straps. Clement has a son who recently turned six years old.
Gazotti expressed, “My daughter’s life mattered… everyone deserves to be found. Everybody deserves closure.” Detectives hope to bring that closure for Clement’s family “one way or the other.”
Anyone with tips or information that may be helpful in locating Mercedes Clement is asked to please contact the North Texas Crime Commission at 1-877-373-TIPS.