<\/p>\n
Houston police said Wednesday<\/a> have opened an investigation into the alleged disappearance \u2014 and discovery \u2014 of a 25-year-old man who had reportedly been missing for eight years.<\/p>\n It was widely reported over the weekend that Rudy Farias was “safely located” in Houston after a years-long search.<\/p>\n But at least one neighbor insists Farias was never missing and had been living with his mother on their block. The account was backed up by a community activist who said he was with Farias when he met with Houston police detectives on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Rudy Farias.<\/span>Texas Center for the Missing<\/span><\/p>\n “This young man said that when he initially ran away, he came back two days later,” the activist, Quanell X, said at a press conference after the meeting with detectives.<\/p>\n The activist added that Farias’ mother, Janie Santana, was present for part of the meeting. Efforts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday evening. <\/p>\n Houston police confirmed the meeting, but said in a statement that detectives could not discuss details or say whether the allegations were true.<\/p>\n Authorities planned to discuss the case further Thursday, the police department said. <\/p>\n A police spokesman said earlier that investigators were meeting with the family to determine “what really happened.” <\/p>\n “We’re trying to get to the bottom of what happened,” said the spokesman, Victor Senties.<\/p>\n Senties declined to say whether Farias had ever been reported missing to Houston police or any other law enforcement agency in Texas.<\/p>\n