Close Menu
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
What's Hot

Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac

May 31, 2025

CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc

May 30, 2025

30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop

May 30, 2025
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok
Trending
  • Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac
  • CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc
  • 30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop
  • Patriots complete the hat trick, win third state title of the year after defeating Vidalia Heritage Academy 8-0 in Columbus
  • Patriots one step closer to state title after defeating Eagles 13-0 in five innings
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok Pinterest
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Douglas NowDouglas Now
Home»News»DPD: GUILLERMO DE LA CRUZ IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MARIA DIAZ’S DISAPPEARANCE ON FEBRUARY 16, 2023
News

DPD: GUILLERMO DE LA CRUZ IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MARIA DIAZ’S DISAPPEARANCE ON FEBRUARY 16, 2023

Staff ReportsBy Staff ReportsMarch 1, 2024Updated:March 31, 2024434 Views
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Maria Diaz has been missing for over a year. Authorities believe that Guillermo De La Cruz Morales is responsible for her disappearance.
Maria Diaz has been missing for over a year. Authorities believe that Guillermo De La Cruz Morales is responsible for her disappearance. (Photo courtesy of the Douglas Police Department)
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

Guillermo De La Cruz Morales is responsible for the February 16, 2023, disappearance of Maria Sophia Diaz, according to a press release posted by the Douglas Police Department on its Facebook page Friday night. Diaz remains missing.

With the assistance of several other agencies, evidence, and numerous witness statements, investigators were able to put together a partial timeline of events and establish that Maria’s last known location was the 900 block of Ethel Street — property managed and controlled by Guillermo De La Cruz Morales. The Douglas Police Department’s investigation has established that Maria did not leave the property under her on free will. During this time, the property was owned by a female that has a child with Morales and is referred as his wife. Although not legitimately married, they normally reside together. During this time, however, they were not sharing a joint residence.

Morales was living at the property he managed on Ethel Street and Maria is known to have been in the presence of Guillermo De La Cruz Morales on this property during the time of her disappearance. Her last known contact with anyone was made from this property. It is believed that Maria was removed from the property against her will and in a such a condition that she was then and is now incapable of reaching out to anyone. Morales has not assisted with any attempts to establish what happened to Maria or to assist in locating where she is now. Investigators believe that Morales was involved in, or personally responsible for, the disappearance of Maria Sophia Diaz.

Morales is not a United States Citizen but a citizen of Coah, Torreon, Mexico who illegally crossed the U.S. border and entered into the United States. He is believed to have made his illegal entry within the past five years. Since his arrival in the United States and Douglas, Morales has been charged with multiple felony crimes, most of which were in or around the Ethel Street property, locally referred to as The Compound. The charges include aggravated assault, false imprisonment, felony drug charges, weapons charges, and a sex/pornography charge. At least one other individual residing at The Compound with Morales was also found to have entered into the United States by Illegally crossing the U.S. border. That individual has since been arrested by the Douglas Police Department and removed from the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs.

The property on Ethel Street consisted of three houses surrounded by a tall privacy fence, makeshift watchtower with a crow’s nest surrounded by flood lights, and monitored by a security system. It housed multiple individuals prior to the arrest of Morales. The property was deemed unfit for human habitation in the condition it was in by City of Douglas Code Enforcement and several charges were made against the property owner. This property has since been sold and the former owner has left the state.

Morales is currently being held at the Coffee County Jail. Initially arrested in March of 2023, Morales was housed in the Coffee County Jail until he was transferred into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs for his illegal entry into the United States. Morales has had several hearings/proceedings which have led to an order to remove him from the United States and return him to Mexico.

Prior to this order being enforced Morales will face his pending charges in Douglas and Coffee County. Morales was brought back to Coffee County on February 29, 2024. He appeared in front of a judge on March 1, 2024, at which time he was denied a bond. Had he received a bond he would have been turned by over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be deported.

Maria Sophie Diaz was a victim of Guillermo De La Cruz in three of the pending felony charges, some of which directly relate to her disappearance. The Douglas Police Department is committed to locating Maria and returning her to her family who desperately need answers and closure. Maria’s immediate family includes her three young children who will have questions as they grow up and they deserve to have answers.

There is still a reward offered for information that leads to Investigators being able to provide that closure and answer those questions for her family.

Anyone with any information is ask to please contact the Douglas Police Department at 912-384-2222 or by email at bosteen@cityofdouglas.com or rsprinkle@cityofdouglas.com. Information can also be shared to the DPD’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DouglasGAPoliceDepartment or the Anonymous Tips line at 912-260-3600.

DouglasNow is your local news source!

disappearance Douglas Police Department Guillermo De La Cruz Morales Maria Diaz missing persons unsolved missing person
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Copy Link
Douglas Now Profile Pic
Staff Reports

Related Posts

Crash on Bud Hutcheson Road involving juveniles seriously injures one, victim transported to trauma center via Air Evac

May 31, 2025

CRMC invites you to discover the latest in robotic joint replacement at Discussions with the Doc

May 30, 2025

30-year-old arrested on felony warrant during traffic stop

May 30, 2025

Comments are closed.

Coffee Break on 106.3 The Tree!
Coffee Break Podcasts from 106.3 The Tree!
  • First Baptist Church Mission Trip
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-06-21
  • Will Moseley comes home, what happens if the State Court Judge and Sheriff are married?
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-05-15
  • Sheriff Candidates Debate
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-25
  • Robert... Superstitious!? There's no way.
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-18
  • Mid-week Edition of Coffee Break
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-17
Top Posts

Convicted child molester allegedly gets drunk, lends truck to girlfriend, forgets and reports it stolen, then gets arrested for failure to register

February 19, 202571,358 Views

18 bodies in various states of decomposition found at funeral home during eviction process

October 27, 202464,862 Views

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

November 11, 202444,591 Views

Three dozen defendants indicted in major South Georgia drug trafficking conspiracy

January 30, 202536,602 Views
RSS Latest Headlines from Fox News
  • As US braces for ‘significant' wildfires, Trump's agriculture secretary addresses Forest Service departures
  • Credibility Crisis: Biden's late-night allies go quiet after damning cognitive decline revelations
  • JASON RANTZ: Seattle says praying in public is 'provocative' and the Trump administration is taking notice
  • 'Duck Dynasty' returns with Willie Robertson hunting for successor
  • Trump is winning the culture war while Democrats are still hiring 2008's consultants
Follow us on Social Media!
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
© 2025 DouglasNow. All Rights Reserved.

Newell Media

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.