Family of Mercedes Clement still seeking answers a year after her disappearance

Missing woman's family searching for answers a year later

A family hopes the first anniversary of a woman's disappearance will lead to some new tips in the case.

DALLAS - It’s been a year since 5-year-old Darryn Clement saw his mother, Mercedes Clement, and a year since Alicia Gazotti has seen her daughter.

"Mercedes 100% would make you feel like you were here family and she would do anything for you," Gazotti said. "She was just not the type of girl that was supposed to be gone. She’s just not. The world is not a better place without her."

Back on October 11, 2020, Clement parked her car in a visitor’s spot at the Koko Apartments, near Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas.

Security footage shows she met a man and went inside his apartment, but while he’s seen on footage several hours later, there’s a gap in the footage.

"That car pulls up. He walks up to that car, they open the trunk, they move a bunch of stuff around in the trunk, they close the trunk," Clement’s mother explained. "And then everything cuts out, gone."

Police spoke with the man at the apartment. They aren’t saying if he’s a suspect.

"She was five months pregnant when she went missing," Gazotti said.

Her family said they’ve dealt with misleading tips and even fake ransoms from people trying to capitalize on their willingness to do anything to find their daughter.

"Even after you vet it all out and you realize it’s not true, I have had to live every moment in my head of every lead that comes through," Gazotti said. "And then I have to live every moment, did she cry? Was she scared? Did she want her mom? Did she, did she beg for her life, you know? And I have to live that every time."

Dallas police began investigating the case as a homicide in July.

Missing woman's family still seeking answers a year later

A family is holding a vigil to remember a Dallas woman who disappeared a year ago. The family of Mercedes Clement is hoping someone out there will give them some answers.

"They firmly believe people know that are out there, multiple people," Gazotti said.

Her mother wants someone with real information to come forward.

"I don’t want to go through this anymore," she said.

But more importantly than her, she asks people to help, for Darryn’s sake.

"I miss you mom and I love you," he said.