Missing person: Layton police to wrap up evidence dig Thursday

Layton police and forensic experts investigating a missing person case expected to complete unearthing potential evidence at a residence in nearby Roy sometime Thursday.

Layton police Lt. Travis Lyman said that officers and crime scene investigators had been digging holes and sifting dirt for potential clues in the May 2011 disappearance of Victor Flores since they were issued a search warrant on Monday.

Lyman confirmed that a small army of law enforcement officers continued Wednesday to carefully work the scene, which included property at and near a home at 3812 W. 4550 South. He also acknowledged that potential leads in the case of Flores, a San Gabriel, Calif., man who went missing after coming to Utah for a job, involved the use of ground-penetrating radar late last week at the scene.

"Beyond that, I can't comment on our results yet. We will likely issue a statement later, when the work is done," Lyman said.

Initially, police planned to wrap up their search at the site late Wednesday, but an overnight frost froze the ground, making digging more difficult. Lyman said officers revised their expectations as a result and were now hoping to finish around mid-day Thursday.

Flores disappeared in May. In June, Layton police issued a public appeal for help finding the 25-year-old man, saying he had disappeared under "suspicious circumstances."

Flores was last seen in the northern Utah city on May 9, police said.

Sandra Banuelos, a friend of the Flores family in California, told The Salt Lake Tribune in June that Flores had left for Utah on May 7 with an acquaintance who promised a construction job — but he later called home to say the trip had turned out to be "a bad idea" and that he planned to return to California.

"No one has heard from him since," Banuelos said, adding that the Flores family suspected the man who accompanied Flores had a criminal record, and that the job offer was bogus. The family feared for his safety.

Banuelos said she understood police tried to contact Flores at a Layton home where he was believed to be staying. Flores was not there, but a male resident told officers he was fine, she said. However, when police returned to question that man again, he could not be found, Banuelos added.

Banuelos could not be reached for comment.

Police have confirmed that officers had visited a residence, asked questions and the tenants had moved shortly thereafter. It was unclear, however, whether the tenants were already in the process of moving at the time, possibly for reasons unrelated to Flores.

Anyone with information about Flores' whereabouts is urged to contact Layton police at 801-497-8300.

remims@sltrib.com