TAMPA, Fla. — It has been two years since the family of Gabriel Cordova Tejada has been seen him alive.  The promising USF student was first reported missing on February 22, 2018.  Since then, there has been no sign of him.

  • Gabriel Tejada went missing on February 22, 2018
  • Tejada left a note on his phone for his family
  • His mother, Angles, believes he killed himself
  • More on this story at the Tampa Bay Times

“Our world collapsed that day,” said Angela Tejada Cano, Gabriel's mother.

That morning, Gabriel dropped his mother off at work and was supposed to head to class at USF.  The chemical engineering major had an exam to take and Angela said she reminded him to pack his lunch.

“He looked really calm, like nothing was going on in his mind,” Angela said.  “We said goodbye and that was it.”

Gabriel’s brother got home first that afternoon and found all of the 20-year-old’s belongings still on the table, including Gabriel’s cell phone.  On it was a devastating message in Spanish.  Gabriel wrote that he was going to do something unthinkable and no one would ever find him.  The family called 9-1-1 and Angela said she was later told it would be at least 24 hours before police could start searching for her son.

“That night was horrible,” Angela said. “Knowing he was outside in the cold.  It was raining.  It was horrible.”

Days turned into weeks and then months and still no sign of Gabriel.  Known by his family as “Gabby,” loved ones described him as a quiet young man who loved to play the guitar and paint.  He was also attending college on a scholarship, just like he promised his mother after the family moved here from the Dominican Republic in 2013.

In desperation, the family turned to social media to spread the word.  But the only tip to come in was a false sighting in California.

“I know that he’s not alive,” Angela said. 

She believes her son committed suicide. But until his remains are found, the family will never know for sure.

“It’s like having a nightmare repeating itself all the time,” Angela said. “I need closure.”

Our partners at the Tampa Bay Times took a closer look at the investigation and learned it is now considered a cold case.  Click here for more.

Anyone with information on what happened to Gabriel Cordova Tejada's should contact the St. Petersburg Police Department at (727) 893-7780.