Jeanay Wyble, neighbor of Randolph “Rudy” Farias, the man who was recently found after presumed missing for eight years, told Newsweek that she thought Farias’ issues with his mother were nothing “major,” but that he simply “didn’t like being around” her and “couldn’t stand her.”
Farias, 25, was reported missing on March 7, 2015, when he was walking a dog in Houston, Texas, but returned home the next day, according to police. Over the past eight years, his mother, Janie Santana, has maintained that her son was missing. The Houston Police Department found Farias sleeping outside of a church in the city on June 29.
“Mother Janie continued to deceive police,” Houston Police Department Lieutenant Christopher Zamora said during a press conference on Thursday. “She insisted her nephew was the person family and friends have seen coming and going.”
Houston police officials said that there were discrepancies with the story behind the original report, as well as the relationship between Farias and his mother and what other family members knew.
Wyble, who said she has been living in Farias’ neighborhood for two years, told Newsweek on Friday that Farias would spend time with her, and was surprised to find out that he was thought to be missing.
Jeanay Wyble, Rudy Farias’ neighbor, said that she thought Farias’ issues with his mother, Janie Santana, were nothing “major” other than that he simply “didn’t like being around her.”
Jevh Maravilla
“I was shocked [when I heard the news] because we were hanging around with him. We invited him to our house, and we didn’t know he was missing,” she said.
The neighbor added that Santana started telling people around her on Tuesday that she would be arrested for hiding her son and that she tried to convince them that Farias was her nephew.
“I am glad that he came forward and told everybody where he has been for the last eight years,” Wyble said.
Santana reportedly profited from her son’s purported disappearance, a GoFundMe spokesperson told Newsweek on Thursday. The fundraising campaign was launched in March 2015 after Farias, who was 17 at the time, was reported missing. The GoFundMe page was created by a woman named Julissa Bravo, whose connection to the family remains unknown.
The beneficiary of the campaign was confirmed to be Santana, who gained $2,025 and last received a donation eight years ago.
Houston officials confirmed that Farias and his mom provided fictitious names to police over the past eight years. They could both face charges over using false names and making false reports as the investigation continues.
Source : Newsweek