The reunion of a family with a missing young man who traveled to Medellin for work and ended up murdered in Caquetá

The body of Carlos Yesid Toloza Díaz was returned to his family in a solemn ceremony in Bucaramanga after more than 25 years of uncertainty surrounding his fate. The young man had left his home in the Mutis neighborhood of Bucaramanga in early 2000 with the goal of finding work in Medellín. His mother, doña Chiquinquirá, and his brother Eduardo were never to see him again. For over two decades, they lived with the pain of not knowing whether he was alive or dead, until this past July 31, when authorities confirmed his identity and handed over his remains. Carlos Yesid Toloza Díaz disappeared shortly after leaving for Medellín. In 2002, prosecutors recovered 36 bodies linked to forced disappearances during the armed conflict in the municipality of Belén de los Andaquíes, Caquetá. Among these unidentified remains was Toloza’s. However, the family did not know this at the time, and their search continued through the years. The breakthrough came nearly two years ago, in November 2024. Eduardo Toloza, who works as a taxi driver in Bucaramanga, noticed a vehicle marked with the logo of the Search Unit for Missing Persons (UBPD). This prompted him to visit his mother and suggest they go together to the civic plaza near the Luis Carlos Galán square. There, officials listened as doña Chiquinquirá recounted the full story of her son, when he left, where he went, and what little information the family had retained. Her account led to a formal request for assistance, accompanied by a DNA sample she provided in hopes of uncovering the truth. The genetic material was submitted to the UBPD's database, where it matched one of the unidentified remains held by prosecutors since 2002. The match confirmed that Toloza had been killed during the armed conflict and had remained under custody all this time. With the identification complete, the UBPD organized a dignified return of the body to Bucaramanga. The event took place with the presence of prosecutors and members of Toloza’s extended family, many of whom had waited patiently for answers for almost a quarter of a century. Doña Chiquinquirá expressed deep gratitude toward the UBPD for listening to her and providing closure. “Today I have the pain of knowing he will not come back, but I now know where he is and what happened to him,” she said. “I am very grateful to the Search Unit because they listened to me, treated me well, and allowed me to receive my son once again.” In Santander, the UBPD continues its efforts to locate more than 6,000 missing persons. As part of its ongoing mission, the organization has launched the “Ruta Buscadora” initiative. The campaign began on July 29 in Barrancabermeja and will continue through the Magdalena Medio region and northern Santander before reaching Santander itself. Officials urge families still searching for loved ones to reach out to the unit’s attention points for support and assistance. Toloza’s case highlights the long-standing challenges faced by families affected by Colombia’s internal conflict. Many remain without resolution, waiting for the day when they can finally lay their loved ones to rest. The return of Toloza’s body marks a small but meaningful step forward for his family, offering them some measure of peace after so many years of uncertainty. The UBPD’s work continues across the country, driven by the determination of families like Toloza’s. Their persistence has helped bring closure to cases that might otherwise have remained unsolved for generations. With each identified body, the agency moves closer to fulfilling its mandate of bringing justice and healing to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Authorities emphasize that while progress has been made, much remains to be done. The number of unresolved disappearances is staggering, and the need for continued public engagement and cooperation remains critical. Families are encouraged to share whatever information they have, no matter how small, in the hope that it could lead to another breakthrough like the one that brought Carlos Yesid Toloza Díaz back to his family.