Solved Murders - True Crime Stories - Kidnapped When She Was About to Return to Spain The Case of Pilar Garrido PART1 #45

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

#horrorstories #reddithorrorstories #ScaryStories #creepypasta #horrortales #pilarGarridocase #kidnappingtruecrime #realhorrorstories #survivorstories #truestoryfear  Kidnapped: The Case of Pilar Garrido – Part 1 tells the terrifying true story of Pilar Garrido, who was abducted just as she was about to return to Spain. This chilling account explores the fear, danger, and shocking events surrounding her kidnapping, highlighting the resilience and courage of a victim trapped in a life-threatening ordeal.  horrorstories, reddithorrorstories, scarystories, horrorstory, creepypasta, horrortales, pilarGarridocase, kidnappingtruestory, terrifyingabduction, realfearencounters, chillingtrueevents, survivorhorrorstories, crimeandfear, darktruecrime, shockingrealstory, nightmareabduction, truecrimehorrorstories, dangeroussituations, horrifyingtrueevents, unsettlingtruestory

Horror. The Disappearance of Pilar Garito. A twisted story of love, distance, and tragedy. All right, let's dive straight into this case. It's one of those stories that at first sounds like a normal love story. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, try to make things work across two countries, and then, slowly, it turns into something darker, something that shakes families, friends, and even whole communities. So, let's rewind everything back to the beginning. Pilar's early life. Maria del Pilar Garido Santamans was born in 1983 in Elche, a coastal city in Spain that has this reputation of being sunny, relaxed, and very Mediterranean. She was the daughter of Rosa Maria Santamans and Ramon Garito, and she had a sister too. Now, the funny thing is, even though we live in a world where everybody shares everything

online, there really isn't a ton of detailed info about Pilar's childhood. What people do remember, and what those close to her have said again and again, is that she was one of those women who just radiated friendliness. She smiled easily, she laughed often, and she was hardworking and very down to earth. Her friends and relatives described her as loyal, someone who never hesitated to put family about everything else. She wasn't one of those people who just said family first because it sounds good, she actually lived that way. Everyone agreed on one thing. Pilar was a fantastic mother, and later in her life, that became one of the core parts of her identity. Now, before motherhood and tragedy, there was a whole other chapter. Pilar studied journalism in Elche.

She wasn't just a bookworm, though. She was outgoing, curious, the type who could strike up a conversation with anyone. And it's probably during those university years that, fate decided to throw her a curveball, meeting Jorge. Somewhere along that timeline, Pilar met a young man named Jorge Fernandez Gonzalez. Jorge was from Mexico. On paper, it didn't seem super convenient, he was from a whole other continent after all, but love doesn't really follow logical maps. From the accounts we have, Pilar and Jorge clicked quickly. You know, when two people just vibe, that's how it seemed with them. They started dating. And in those early stages, it was all pretty straightforward, because Jorge was still in Spain at the time.

Things got trickier when he eventually had to head back to Mexico. Suddenly, they were long distance. And if you've ever tried long distance, you know how brutal it can be. The time zones, the missed calls, the planning, the flights, the money, it wears down even the most committed couples. But here's the thing. Pilar and Jorge seemed to handle it. They made it work. They were in love, and the people around them noticed.

Friends have said that the two genuinely cared for each other, looked after each other, respected each other. For years, they managed this international romance, bouncing between visits, until finally they decided it was time to stop juggling continents and get married. Starting a new life in Mexico. In 2014, after tying the nut, Pilar took a huge leap.

She left behind Spain, her hometown, her family, her comfort. zone and moved to Mexico with Jorge. The city they chose was Ciudad Victoria in the state of Tamalipas. If you don't know much about Tamalipas, let's just say it's a complicated region. It has its beauty, but it's also a place where organized crime, kidnappings, and violence aren't exactly uncommon. George built his professional life there as a criminology professor at the Universidad de Tamalipas. That detail alone is eerie in hindsight, considering what would later happen. Pilar, meanwhile, found her niche in cosmetics. She became a saleswoman, selling products to hair salons and beauty centers. And apparently, she was a natural. People adored her, clients,

colleagues, neighbors. She wasn't pushy, she was charming. She didn't just sell things. She built relationships. And even though she was thousands of kilometers from Spain, Pilar kept her roots alive. Every single day she Skyped her mom. That's not an exaggeration. Every single day. Her mom wasn't just a parent. She was Pilar's confidant, her go-to person. Good day, bad day, silly anecdote, serious news. Everything went through that daily pipeline to Spain. Motherhood. Then came 2015. Pilar got pregnant, and the following year she gave birth to a baby boy, Dalmau. Becoming a mother was huge for. her. She embraced it completely. And the people who visited the family home during that time,

like Pilar's mom, Rosa, described seeing a household that seemed almost picture perfect. Rosa stayed in Mexico for several months after Delmau was born, helping out, bonding with her grandson, and keeping an eye on her daughter and son-in-law. She came away reassured. She saw Pilar and Jorge working together, sharing responsibilities, doting on the baby, and she left convinced... Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record,

host, and distribute your show everywhere, from Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes. No editing required. And with Spreker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcast to you.

hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown

podcast network, Sprieker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker dot com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-R.com. that her daughter had built a solid little family unit in Mexico. But, as we all know, what looks perfect on the outside sometimes hides cracks beneath.

The plan to return to Spain. Fast forward to 2017. By this time, Dalma was about one year old. Pilar's mom once again flew to Mexico to help out for a couple of months. Before heading back to Spain, Pilar confided in her that she and George had been talking seriously about moving back permanently. First, Pilar would take a short trip with the baby to Spain. Later, the plan was for George to follow, and they'd settle there for good. This wasn't just idle talk. Pilar had already started putting things in motion. She told one friend, Susana Mayela, that she was selling off various household items to get some extra cash together. She told another friend, Diana Lucia Cuevas, that she even had a buyer lined up for the house.

Everything was falling into place. The flights, the packs. the big move. If you looked at the situation then, it was all positive. Pilar was about to reconnect with her home country, her son would grow up surrounded by his Spanish family, and George, at least outwardly, was supportive. It looked like a fresh start was just around the corner, but that fresh start never came. The Trip to the Beach. July 2017. Pilar and Jorge decided to take a short family trip to the coast. From Saturday, July 1st to Sunday, July 2nd, they went to La Pesca, a beach resort area in Tamalipas. They weren't alone, of course, the baby went with them. From all accounts, the weekend was great. They swam, they ate, they relaxed. They're even photos of the

three of them together, smiling, looking happy. On Sunday, before heading home, they stopped at a local restaurant. The owner, Maria Magdalena San Gabriel, remembered them clearly. She described the couple as polite, friendly, warm. She recalled Pilar casually mentioning that she was planning to return to Spain soon. Nothing dramatic, just a small piece of conversation. Maria's impression, they seemed like a sweet family, enjoying themselves with no tension or drama insight. By around 6 p.m., the family paid their bill, got back in their car, and began the drive home

to Ciudad Victoria. That's where the story takes a sharp, terrifying time. turn. The ambush. The drive from La Pesca to Ciudad Victoria is several hours long. The road is fairly quiet, especially at that time of day, and stretches of it were under construction. At first, everything was normal. Pilar texted back and forth with friends and clients. She even responded to a WhatsApp message around 7.20 p.m. from a woman named Diana Quintana, who ran a beauty center and was asking about products. Pilar was her usual helpful self, sending info, chatting, sounding cheerful. But then they reached one of those construction zones. That's where

things went wrong. In front of them, blocking part of the road was another vehicle, parked sideways, unmoving. At first glance, it might have looked like a car with engine trouble. But the moment they pulled up alongside it, two young men jumped out. No masks, no attempt to hide who they were. They were armed, pointing guns straight at Pilar and Jorge. The message was clear. Get out of the car, hand over everything, phones, cash, whatever you've got. Pilami and George tried to calm things down. George in particular pleaded with them. He begged them not to take the car because his baby son was strapped in the back seat.

He promised he'd give them whatever else they wanted, but please let him get his child out first. The men didn't back off. Guns stayed pointed. Tension hung in the air. So George did what any father would do. He got out, opened the back door, and carefully unbuckled Dalmau. He lifted him into his arms, holding him tightly, trying to shield him. And that's...

Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast. I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt. Spreaker is the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to record, host, and distribute your show everywhere. From Apple Podcasts to Spotify. But the real game changer for me was Spreaker's monetization. Spreaker offers dynamic ad insertion. That means you can automatically insert ads into your episodes.

No editing required. And with Spreaker's programmatic ads, they'll bring the ads to you, and you get paid for every download. This turned my podcasting hobby into a full-time career. Spreaker also has a premium subscription model where your most dedicated listeners can pay for bonus content or early access, adding another revenue stream to what you're already doing. And the best part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreeker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows.

So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-A-K-E-R dot com. When the nightmare truly unfolded. Because instead of just stealing the car or the valuables, the attackers grabbed Pilar. They yanked open the passenger door, pulled her out roughly, and shoved her into their own vehicle. The men shouted at George to expect a phone call and then sped off with her. One second, Pilar was sitting next to her husband, texting friends. The next, she was gone.

To be continued.