In the rapidly unfolding investigation into the disappearance and presumed death of 32-year-old American Airlines flight attendant Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a key digital clue has emerged: his phone appeared to ping from two separate locations in Medellín hours apart — both far from his assigned hotel near the airport. His longtime partner, Ernesto Carranza, revealed the unusual pings intensified concerns that something sinister occurred after a night out, raising questions about whether Gutierrez Molina was still in possession of the device or if someone else was carrying it.

Gutierrez Molina arrived in Medellín late on Saturday, March 21, 2026, from Miami for a routine overnight layover. He and a female coworker went out in the popular El Poblado nightlife district, visiting bars and a nightclub. He was last seen in the early hours of Sunday, March 22, in the mostly residential La América neighborhood. He sent a final message sharing his location at an Airbnb in El Poblado (roughly 12 miles / 20 km from the airport hotel area). After that, all communication ceased. He never returned to the hotel — his key card was not used again after approximately 2:00 AM — and he missed the crew briefing for the return flight to Miami.

Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, the 32-year-old Dallas-based flight attendant.

The Suspicious Phone Pings

Carranza told CBS News that when he could not reach Gutierrez Molina on either his personal or work phone, he checked location data and noticed pings from two distinct areas in Medellín — both nowhere near the hotel where the crew was staying. One confirmed ping came from the Airbnb in El Poblado, consistent with his last message. The second location was in a different part of the city, hours later, heightening fears that the phone may have been moved by another person.

“Both locations were nowhere near where he was supposed to sleep for the night,” Carranza said. This anomaly — one phone seemingly active in separate zones over time — has become a focal point for investigators, who are now working to determine who may have been carrying it after Gutierrez Molina’s last confirmed movements.

Phone data and witness accounts place activity in La América (a residential area not typical for tourists) and possibly nearby zones like Calasanz. The phone was later recovered in a residential area, but Gutierrez Molina himself was not found with it initially.

The Night Out and the Colleague’s Memory Loss

The evening began normally in El Poblado, a bustling district favored by tourists. According to friends including best friend Sharom Gil, Gutierrez Molina and his female coworker met two unidentified men at a nightclub. When the venue closed, the group reportedly decided to continue the night elsewhere. Witnesses saw him talking to the two men outside the club around 1:30–1:45 a.m., with some residents reporting arguments or fighting nearby.

The female colleague later admitted she could not remember parts of the night and was found disoriented, requiring medical attention. Gil described her as “also a victim,” adding to suspicions of scopolamine (“Devil’s Breath”) use — a sedative commonly slipped into drinks in Colombian nightlife to facilitate robbery or abduction, causing amnesia, disorientation, and compliance.

Alleged security footage reportedly showed Gutierrez staggering down a street, appearing disturbed and spinning in confusion, followed by an unknown man. Other circulating (unverified) details included residents hearing fighting and a nurse allegedly finding an empty bag of blood in his hotel room.

Medellín’s Secretary of Security Manuel Villa Mejía confirmed that authorities identified individuals last seen with Gutierrez — some with prior criminal histories — and were reviewing CCTV, phone records, and witness statements.

Tragic Discovery in Rural Antioquia

On Friday, March 28, 2026, a lifeless body was discovered in a rural area between the municipalities of Jericó and Puente Iglesias in Antioquia department, approximately 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Medellín — far from the urban zones of El Poblado and La América. Medellín Mayor Federico “Fico” Gutiérrez announced a “very high probability” that the body is Gutierrez Molina, pending formal forensic identification, autopsy, and toxicology. An abandoned backpack was reportedly found near a rural road close to the site.

The remote discovery site suggests he may have been transported out of the city after the events following the bar. Investigators have noted “very clear clues” regarding possible perpetrators and are pursuing leads, including potential extradition if suspects are not Colombian.

American Airlines is cooperating fully with authorities and supporting the family. The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá is also involved.

Family’s Anguish

Ernesto Carranza described himself as “shattered,” telling media he wanted to keep believing his partner was alive but the days grew longer with uncertainty. Gil and other loved ones had issued urgent social media appeals, sharing photos of Gutierrez Molina in his American Airlines uniform and urging tips. They described him as a responsible, outgoing professional who loved aviation and would never miss a flight without contact.

The case has spotlighted risks for flight crews during layovers, particularly in nightlife scenes where scopolamine remains a documented threat despite Medellín’s transformation into a vibrant tourist destination.

As of March 28, 2026, the investigation continues. The dual phone pings — combined with the colleague’s memory loss, the disoriented movements, and the body’s remote location — are critical pieces as authorities try to reconstruct what happened after the bar in El Poblado and determine who may have been moving Gutierrez Molina’s phone hours apart.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Medellín authorities, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, or American Airlines security. Toxicology and full forensic results are pending and may clarify whether substances or foul play were involved.

The question of “who was carrying the phone” in those two separate locations may ultimately help explain how a routine night out ended in tragedy for a dedicated flight attendant who simply never made it back to his hotel or his flight home.