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Lily Aramburo Featured in Highway Billboard and Miami New Times!

By on January 13, 2011 in CBS4, cold case, FDLE, foul play, Lily Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, media, MIami Dade Police, Miami New Times, missing person, Ray Hoadley
It has been a very productive and extraordinary week for the search to Help Find Lily! 

On Sunday, we learned that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement put up another highway billboard featuring Lily. This time the entire billboard is devoted to her! It’s on the Palmetto Expressway South bound by Okeechobee Road, a very busy highway that gets mad amounts of steady traffic. I was able to see it for myself this morning. Wow, it was really impressive! Check out the photos I took:

On Monday January 10, 2011, CBS4 Miami highlighted Lily Aramburo’s cold case. It felt phenomenal to finally see Lily on the news!! We’re ecstatic and very grateful to CBS4.

On Tuesday January 11, 2011, a follow up article was written by Frank Alvarado from the Miami New Times. Thank you Frank! The article is posted below. Read it for yourself and please take a minute to comment if you feel inclined! Your thoughts are important to us.

If you’d like to assist in the search for Lily, you can do so easily by sharing these articles and recent news with friends and social networks. You can also join and invite others to the Help Find Lily Facebook Page. THANK YOU so very much for caring about Lily!!! 

More than three years after she went missing, Miami-Dade Police investigators believe Lilly Aramburo was a victim of foul play. At least, that’s what an updated missing persons flyer seems to indicate. New Times wrote a cover story about the young single mother’s June 1, 2007 disappearance from the east Kendall apartment she shared with her then-boyfriend Christian Pacheco.

In December, Aramburo’s case was transferred from missing persons to homicide. And the department has assigned the case to Ray Hoadley, a veteran homicide detective who solved the cold case murder of an 18-year-old Homestead girl killed in 1993. The development has given hope to Aramburo’s closest relatives and friends.
An ongoing social media campaign started by Aramburo’s friend and Miami-based Internet marketing consultant Janet Forte generated national media coverage about the case, but has turned up few leads into what happened to the 24-year-old woman. Forte and Aramburo’s mother, Lucely Zalvidar, had grown frustrated with the police investigation, at times suggesting detectives were indifferent to finding Lilly because of her history of running away from home and drug addiction. A Miami-Dade police spokesman declined comment because of the open investigation.
“I feel very confident with the new detective on the case,” Forte says. “I believe in karma and know that whoever was involved in Lilly’s disappearance will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.”
Hoadley, a 38 year veteran, was the lead investigator in the cold case of Trinity Robinson. In 2006 Hoadley arrested her boyfriend Christopher Phillips for her murder despite not finding the body. This past September, a jury convicted Phillips based on circumstantial evidence and witness testimony Hoadley gathered. The 38-year-old, who was sentenced to life in prison, is only the second person in Miami-Dade history to be convicted of murder without a victim’s body.
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Thank You Miami Herald Crime Scene Blog!

By on May 30, 2009 in anniversary, candlelight vigil, Crime Scene Blog, disappearance, Lilly Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, MDPD, Miami Herald, Miami New Times, murder, Silent March

Candle vigil to mark young mother’s disappearance to be held in Coconut Grove

From Lily

Lucely “Lilly” Aramburo, 25, was last seen June 1, 2007.

She is the mother of a two-year-old boy named Palden, and has a history of drug abuse and mental illness.

Her mother Lucely Zalvidar told a New Times reporter that while growing up in Miami she had run away from home, and had made attempts to commit suicide .

Local activists are organizing a candle vigil at 6 p.m., on May 31st, at 35 Percial Avenue, in Coconut Grove to mark the two year anniversary of her disappearance. More information at the Justice in Miami blog.

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Thank You Frank Alvarado and Miami New Times!

By on May 30, 2009 in candlelight vigil, disappearance, Francisco Alvarado, investigation, Joe Carrillo, Lilly Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, MDPD, Miami New Times, murder, social media

Two Years Later: Lilly Aramburo Remains Missing
By Francisco Alvarado
Friday, May. 29 2009

It has been close to a year since I wrote my cover story about Lilly Aramburo, a 24-year-old single mother and drug addict who disappeared from her boyfriend’s apartment June 1, 2007. Today, there is still no trace of her, but friend Janet Forte presses on with her social media crusade to find out what happened to Aramburo.

There has been some progress. Joe Carrillo, a private investigator who helped Miami Police nab the Shenandoah Rapist, volunteered to help Forte track down leads. On a recent afternoon, Carillo met with me to give an update on his investgation, which he is doing free of charge.

A former bodyguard for Latin boy pop band Menudo, Carrillo stands over six feet tall and has a gleaming bald head à la Kojak.

He informed me he believes Christen Pacheco, Aramburo’s boyfriend, had nothing to do with her disappearance. “He was telling the truth when he said Lilly left his apartment after they got into an arguement,” Carrillo notes.

Carrillo says he interviewed two of Aramburo’s friends, who told him about a house at 35 Percival Ave. in Coconut Grove, at the time a known flop house where Aramburo and her pals smoked crack. Carrillo says he recieved another tip that Aramburo, after leaving Pacheco’s apartment, went to that house where she was allegedly killed by three individuals she knew, including a drug dealer who has a murder conviction.

I’ve chosen not to disclose their names until I’ve had an opportunity to verify Carrillo’s claims.

Carrillo says he provided the names of the three men to Miami-Dade Police detectives investigating Aramburo’s disappearance on four occassions. “They haven’t done squat,” Carrillo says.

This Sunday at 6 p.m., Forte will lead a march from CocoWalk to 35 Percival Ave., where she will hold a candlelight vigil in Aramburo’s honor. 

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Justice March and Vigil for Lily Sunday in Miami

By on May 29, 2009 in candlelight vigil, Coconut Grove, disappearance, Lilly Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, Miami New Times, Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade County Florida, missing mother, Silent March, vigil

The South Florida community and local media is invited to join us this Sunday for a Silent March and Candle light Vigil for Lilly Aramburo. Please see the media alert below.

MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, 29 May 2009

Candlelight Vigil and Silent March to commemorate missing mother, Lucely “Lily” Aramburo on the 2 year anniversary of her disappearance

(Miami, Florida, May 29, 2009) On June 1, 2007, Lilly Aramburo a single mother 23 years of age left her ex boyfriends house, a known heroin user, shortly after 2 AM never to be seen again. The Miami Dade Police Department’s detectives failed to interview Christen Pacheco, Kelly Starling, and “EJ” who were present when Lily disappeared.

Only after an article in the Miami New Times in September 2008 was Christen Pacheco interviewed. A private investigator who volunteered to help in Lily’s disappearance has developed a theory that Lily lost her life the night she disappeared in a crack house in Coconut Grove. The investigator has had 4 meetings with the Miami Dade Detectives providing details of the location as well as suspects in Lily’s disappearance/murder. To this day, the Miami Dade Police Department has done nothing to solve the case.

This Sunday, May 31, 2009, we will hold a vigil commemorating the second anniversary of Lily’s disappearance. The vigil will be held at the location where it is believed she lost her life. Names and details of the suspects in the case will be provided in the hopes that someone in the Coconut Grove community will come forward with information. Six months have passed since this information was provided to the Miami Dade Police Department with no results.

Come join us to commemorate and pray for Lily and her family.
Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 6pm

The march will begin in Cocowalk to
3440 PERCIVAL AVENUE, COCONUT GROVE, FL.

Information about the vigil can be found at the following websites:

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Thank You Miami New Times!

By on February 21, 2009 in blog, Florida, Francisco Alvarado, homicide, investigation, Justice in Miami, Lilly Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, Miami, Miami New Times, missing mother, missing person, Twitter

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Miami New Times for including our blog, Justice for Lilly Aramburo on their local blog links. We are very grateful to the Miami New Times Blog for linking to us! Another reason we love the Miami New Times. First, Francisco Alvarado writes the only article ever printed about Lilly, a cover story published last September and now this. It’s a very big deal and I’m extremely humbled.

If you use Twitter, please be sure to follow the Miami New Times.

By the way, let’s keep our fingers crossed for a follow-up article on Lilly Aramburo’s disappearance. Feel free to help make it happen by contacting the Miami New Times directly.

Missing Person: Lilly Aramburo Missing from: Miami, FL

As always, we appreciate the ongoing support we have received from everyone. Please continue to spread the word about Lilly’s disappearance. And help us bring her home!

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Lilly Aramburo’s Front Page Article on Miami New Times Puts Miami Police on Notice!

By on September 10, 2008 in crime, foulplay, Lilly Aramburo, Lucely Aramburo, media, media attention, MIami Dade Police, Miami New Times, missing mother, missing person

Wake up, South Florida! Lilly Aramburo is one of 5,000 people a year reported gone without a trace in Miami-Dade County.

Today, Lilly Aramburo’s story is featured on the front cover of the Miami New Times. The article appropriately titled “Missing Peace” was written by Francisco Alvarado. I must say, he did a pretty thorough job. Much more thorough than Miami Dade Police! (Frank deserves many props!)

He accomplished the seemingly impossible…he tracked down Christen Pacheco and got his side of the story. He interviewed Kelly Starling and a neighbor of Christen’s who knew them and happened to talk to Lilly just before she vanished. I can’t help but wonder, how many resources did it take? Was it costly? Did it take that much time and trouble?

According to the article, “police inaction is one reason she hasn’t been found.” Amen to that! Even Christen Pacheco admits he’s spoken to a detective only once by phone since the initial report. Kelly Starling says she’s tried contacting the detective several times but he’s never returned the calls. She says “no one has been trying to do anything. I’ve been wanting to talk to the detective all this time.”

Captain Janna Bollinger-Heller from the Miami Dade County Police domestic crimes bureau was interviewed. She says Lilly’s case “has been a high priority.” “We have followed up on every lead.” Interesting…

Miami Residents, are you outraged? This could be your child or relative! They believe they have treated Lilly’s case with priority? If speaking with the last person to see her alive once by phone is priority, then I’d hate to even think about the cases that have not been a high priority.
If what Captain Bollinger-Heller says is true and there are only 4 detectives in Miami Dade for the 5000 reported cases of missing people, then how on earth are they supposed to be found?

I have a solution. Why don’t they classify Lilly’s case and others that qualify as homicides? They obviously have more detectives in Homicide. Besides, they have much more training and are better prepared to deal with these kinds of investigations.

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2008-09-11/news/missing-person-lilly-aramburo/1

Make sure to read all 5 pages! After you read it, let us know what you think. Leave a comment on the New Times Article. Click on the bottom left link that says write your comment.

Contact Francisco Alvarado (Author):
francisco.alvarado@miaminewtimes.com
or call 305-571-7562

Contact Miami New Times:
Email: editorial@miaminewtimes.com
Mail: Letters, New Times
PO Box 011591
Miami, FL 33101-1591
Fax: 305-571-7678
(If you send a letter, include your name, address and daytime phone number. The information is used for confirmation only.)

Lilly’s family and friends urge the South Florida Community to take a good look at her picture. If you know Lilly or any of the key players involved, including a guy who goes by the name “EJ” – PLEASE COME FORWARD!! This EJ was also there but has since disappeared, unwilling to cooperate. Keep in mind, Lilly has a son who deserves to know the TRUTH.

If you think you know something, anything can be a clue that leads us to find Lilly – please contact us right now. There are numerous ways to submit a tip. You can leave a comment on my blog or the Miami New Times article. You can submit a web tip to Miami Dade Crime Stoppers or call 305-471-8477. You can contact Miami Dade Police Detective Aaron Mancha at 305-418-7245 or amancha@mdpd.com. No matter how small a detail you may know, it may lead us to answers please reach out and help bring Lilly back home.

If everyone who reads this would take a moment to make a phone call to the US Attorney’s Office – it would be of tremendous help in demanding justice for Lilly. Ask them to investigate the possible homicide of Lilly Aramburo. It only takes a minute to make a phone call.

Contact the US Attorneys Office
99 N.E. 4th Street
Miami, Fl. 33132
Phone: (305) 961-9001
Fax: (305) 530-7679

I’d appreciate your feedback! If you have any questions or comments about the article, leave a comment here too!! And if you feel strongly about this case, like I do, help demand justice for Lilly. Justice has been interrupted for far too long.

Stay updated by subscribing to my RSS feeds or subscribe to receive email updates. Bookmark and Stumble this blog – share it with your friends. Help us bring Lilly home. Help her family get closure!

I am signing off for now but I’ll update later tonight with more thoughts on this Miami New Times article.

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