Plano Man Christian Quezada Beaten, Found Dead On Beach In Puerto Rico
PLANO, Texas (CBSCFW.COM) - A Plano family is demanding answers after their brother's body was found on a beach in Puerto Rico.
It's the second time this month a North Texan has died under suspicious circumstances while on vacation outside of the mainland United States.
The Quezada family is tight-knit.
"We are very close," said Cynthia Quezada. We are a big family, all very close."
Cynthia says her family was devastated when their dad passed away on Friday, July 16.
Their brother, Christian Quezada was on vacation in Puerto Rico when it happened, and they had to call him with the news.
"We discussed that he was coming back on Monday," Cynthia said. "We talked to him on Friday. Saturday, we couldn't reach him."
On Sunday, Cynthia says a tourist found the 36-year-old's body – naked and beaten – on an island beach about an hour from mainland Puerto Rico.
"Obviously, this was a shock for everybody, for the family," she said. "We didn't know what to do."
Cynthia flew down to Puerto Rico to identify Christian's body and talk to police. Nothing about what they said happened made sense to her, so she started doing her own investigating.
"This was not an accident," Cynthia said. "I saw the pictures. I saw the place. That was a very touristic place… I knew that I had to do something. I couldn't just be devastated and not do anything."
Her family began pushing Puerto Rican authorities and say a homicide detective finally started looking at the case today.
"But we are begging the Metroplex, and our community here in Texas, and also our authorities to help us," said Cynthia. "To find and to make sure that this crime is solved."
Losing both their father and brother in a matter of days has caused unimaginable grief, but the family is now united behind a new mission.
"My goal in life right now is to make sure that that case is solved," she said. "I want justice. That's all I can say at this point."