FBI releases surveillance video of Bay Area woman Monica de Leon Barba kidnapping in Mexico
SAN FRANCISCO -- Surveillance video showing last year's kidnapping in Mexico of Monica de Leon Barba, a U.S. citizen from the Bay Area, was released Thursday by FBI's San Francisco office along with new details in the case.
Barba was kidnapped in Tepatitlán, Jalisco, Mexico, while walking home from work with her dog on November 29, 2022. The FBI said it hopes the public release of the videos will help produce new leads in finding the 29-year-old.
"The FBI is requesting the public's assistance in locating Monica and returning her safely to her family. We believe these videos may help generate new public tips to assist in our investigation," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp in a prepared statement.
Two surveillance videos were posted on the FBI website. According to the agency, the videos indicate at least five suspects were involved in the kidnapping using three vehicles, a white Chevy Suburban, a gray Dodge Charger, and a silver Volkswagen Jetta.
The FBI said Barba was confronted by several suspects and forced into the Jetta. The suspects then drove away in the vehicles leaving her dog loose on the street. The dog was later found and recovered by a family member.
The suspects were described as follows: Suspect 1: Male in dark clothing • Suspect 2: Male in white shirt and jeans • Suspect 3: Male in dark clothing, in the backseat of white Suburban • Suspect 4: Male, dark shirt, believed to be the driver of the gray Charger. The fifth suspect was not seen on video and is presumed to be the driver of the Suburban.
Barba's family has grown frustrated with local authorities in Tepatitlán.
"We would ask Mexican officials to also place the importance that this case merits into finding my sister who was abducted in plain daylight, blocks from a national guard station," her brother, Gustavo, said in a family statement.
The FBI urged anyone with information about Barba's location to contact a local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov, or at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
