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.
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