True Crime All The Time Unsolved

Episode 451: Angelica Gandara
Release Date: February 9, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson (“A”) and Mike Gibson (“B”)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the 1985 unsolved disappearance of 11-year-old Angelica Maria Gandara from Temple, Texas. The hosts, Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson, delve into Angelica's background, the circumstances of her disappearance, the initial investigation, and the two prime suspects identified decades later: Ramiro Ibarra and David Penton. Through their trademark blend of seriousness and approachable discussion, the hosts detail the facts, explore the theories, and express the continuing heartbreak and frustration surrounding Angelica's case.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Angelica Gandara’s Background and Disappearance

• Angelica’s Early Life:

  • Born February 5, 1974. The youngest daughter of Olivia and Umberto Gandara, described by her mother as “very quiet,” “timid,” and “fearful.” (03:24)
  • Her sister, Laura Mendoza, noted Angelica was a “homebody,” not into sports, and enjoyed spending time at her grandmother’s.

• Day of Disappearance: July 14, 1985

  • Angelica opted to stay with her grandmother instead of going to the family farm. She made the familiar walk alone, a trip that typically took less than 10 minutes. (05:40)

  • Timeline: Left grandmother’s house around 5pm.

  • By 5:30-6:00pm, her family noticed she had not returned and initiated a search—calling friends and family, scouring parks, and knocking on doors.
    “I don’t think there was a door here in the area that we didn’t knock on.” – Laura Mendoza (08:33, from KCEN TV)

  • Police Involvement:

    • Police began systematic door-to-door searches and interviews, suspecting foul play early due to Angelica’s age and temperament. (09:48)

2. Early Leads & Neighborhood Incidents

• Suspicious Vehicle (Day Before Disappearance):

  • Neighbor reported on July 13 that Angelica was approached by a man in a blue car offering her a ride, which she declined. She never mentioned this to her family. (10:30)

  • Hosts speculate why she might have stayed silent:

    • To avoid further restrictions on her freedom (11:00)
    • “As kids, we kind of hold back sometimes on things that maybe we should tell our parents. But we are worried…” – Mike Gibson (11:13)

• Second Sightings:

  • Two kids saw Angelica at Jackson Park, next to a distinctively colored, beat-up Chevy truck with an unidentified man and woman (13:01). The same truck was reportedly seen the following day, but police never identified the couple or the vehicle.
  • The blue car and its owner were briefly investigated. The owner passed a polygraph, and the case closed on that lead (14:12).

• San Antonio Sighting:

  • A convenience store clerk in San Antonio (150 miles away) reported seeing a girl matching Angelica’s description with a man in late July. The girl was always “quiet and seemed to be tense and in a hurry.” On the clerk’s attempt to stall and call police, the man “grabbed the girl and told the clerk not to say anything.” (16:04)
  • This sighting was never confirmed.

3. Suspect #1: Ramiro Ibarra

• Background:

  • Ibarra was the boyfriend (later husband) of Angelica’s aunt and one of the last to see her. He had limited interaction with the Gandara family.
  • In 1997, Ibarra was convicted of the 1987 rape and murder of 16-year-old Maria Zuniga in Waco, Texas. (17:54–20:46)

• Case Details:

  • Arrested six hours after Maria Zuniga’s murder, with fresh scratches on his face.
  • DNA evidence later confirmed his guilt.
  • During his 1997 conviction, Ibarra attempted a superficial escape by slashing his own throat (25:20).
  • His history included sexual assault of children and violence.
  • Ibarra’s ex-girlfriend said he confessed to “doing something very bad in 1985” (28:04)—the year of Angelica’s disappearance. He also brought her to a park with a “bad smell,” but police found nothing there.

• Status:

  • Though considered a “prominent suspect,” there has never been enough evidence to officially charge Ibarra in Angelica’s case.

Notable quote:

“He’s a monster, plain and simple.” – Mike Ferguson (26:32)

4. Suspect #2: David Penton

• Background and Crimes:

  • Former U.S. Army member, convicted in Ohio of murdering 9-year-old Nedra Ross (1988); also killed at least three girls in Texas, ages 3 to 9, during the late 1980s. (29:23–39:36)
  • Linked to five-year-old Christy Meeks, nine-year-old Christy Diane Proctor, and three-year-old Roxanne Hope Reyes—all abducted and murdered in Texas.
  • Penton was living in Bell County (Angelica’s area) at the time of her disappearance.
  • He often befriended or was near families of his victims.

• Behavior:

  • Frequently boasted to cellmates of abducting and killing over 50 children, though not all confessions were substantiated.
  • “He liked to brag… but you have to take him seriously when he’s confessing to committing crimes against children.” – Mike Ferguson (43:43)

• Official Interview:

  • In interviews, Penton denied involvement in Angelica’s disappearance:
    “I’m not a monster, though I have been called a monster, but I didn’t go around the country killing little kids.” (45:26)

• Evidence:

  • Some DNA testing and property searches have linked Penton to other cases, but nothing has corroborated his involvement with Angelica.
  • Angelica’s DNA has been collected for any future comparison.

• Parole:

  • Penton is eligible for parole in Ohio in 2027; if released, he will serve multiple life sentences in Texas.

• Police position:

  • “So after those multiple interviews, it just kind of led…to a dead end, because there was nothing there, really.” – Deputy Chief Jeff Clark, Temple Police (47:19)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the panic of a missing child:

  • “There’s an inkling on the part of family that, well, maybe something’s not right…but when you make the phone call and find out that she didn’t [arrive], okay, then that level of worry goes up.” – Mike Ferguson (07:09)
  • “I think I would be the same way. I think you would be as well. Like you would just not leave any stone unturned.” – Mike Gibson (09:22)

• On stranger danger in the 1980s:

  • “I was only 12, so I was getting the message of stay away from strangers…” – Mike Ferguson (12:36)
  • “But there is a huge chasm…between looking guilty and the authorities being able to put enough evidence together to prove guilt and to even take you to trial.” – Mike Ferguson (32:07)

• On suspects:

  • “He seems like a very strong person of interest to me.” – Mike Gibson, referencing Ibarra (50:05)
  • “And then, I don’t even know what to think of this David Penton guy. He is just an absolute monster.” – Mike Ferguson (50:17)
  • “Kind of feel like there’s a special place in hell for somebody like that.” – Mike Gibson, on Penton (39:36)

• On continuing heartbreak:

  • “We've been doing this for 10 years, and it still blows us away. Yeah, that's how shocking it is.” – Mike Ferguson (52:46)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|----------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Introduction to Angelica’s case | | 04:21 | Angelica’s personality and home life | | 05:40 | Timeline and day of disappearance | | 08:43 | Family search and police involvement | | 10:51 | Suspicious blue car incident recounted | | 13:01 | Sighting of Angelica with unidentified couple| | 14:45 | Outcome of blue car investigation | | 16:04 | San Antonio possible sighting | | 17:54 | Ramiro Ibarra background | | 25:20 | Ibarra slashes throat at trial | | 28:04 | Ibarra’s confession of “doing something bad” | | 29:23 | Introduction of David Penton | | 33:08 | Conviction of Penton for Nedra Ross murder | | 39:36 | Penton charged with killing three TX girls | | 43:52 | Cellmate confessions and police interviews | | 47:19 | Police statement on lack of evidence | | 49:26 | Wrapping discussion on suspects | | 51:44 | Mike and Gibby’s theories/personal takeaways | | 52:46 | Closing thoughts on continuing heartbreak |

Final Thoughts and Theories

Suspect Review:

• Both Ibarra and Penton remain prime suspects, but neither has been formally charged due to insufficient direct evidence.
  • Ibarra’s proximity, family connection, confessions, and criminal history make him a compelling suspect.
  • Penton’s pattern of crimes against young girls and presence in the area, along with unverified confessions, keep him in police focus.

Case Today:

• Angelica’s family no longer expects her to be found alive but hope for closure.
• Her DNA is stored for potential future matches. Police encourage anyone with information to come forward.

“This is one that I’d really like to see solved. Because there’s at least two people who could possibly be involved… Could be a completely different person.” – Mike Ferguson (52:01)

Contact:

• Age-progressed photographs are available at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
• Anyone with information can contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500.

For Listeners

This episode brings detailed investigative work, heartbreak, and continued hope for answers about Angelica Gandara’s disappearance. The hosts balance seriousness with familiarity, never losing sight of the tragedy’s human toll.