Special Thanks

I would like to thank some very important people who helped make Elisa’s Memorial special and memorable. First, my family and friends who supported and encouraged me through this deeply personal journey. Without them, none of this would have been possible. There are many other wonderful people who have become true lifelong friends through this experience. A simple “thank you” will never be enough to express my deep gratitude and appreciation. On behalf of my family, I especially want to thank Mike Keller (NCMEC) and family friend and private investigator Richard Norgard. Both have spent countless hours on this case without pay and made it their personal mission to bring justice to Elisa. Thank You.

Aransas Pass Independent School District
244 W Harrison Blvd, Aransas Pass
(361) 758-1979

Bianca Castro, Reporter
KRISTV Corpus Christi
bcastro@kristv.com

Craig Worth- Memorial Canvas

Dr. Sue Thomas & APISD
Superintendent of the Aransas Pass Independent School District
361-758-3466 / www.apisd.org.

Janice Granier & Aransas Pass Wal-Mart Employees
Personnel Manager
(361) 758-8518

Manuel De La Rosa, Reporter
KIIITV3 Corpus Christi
mdelarosa@kiiitv.com.

Micheal Cary
editor@aransaspassprogress.com
(361) 758-5391

Michael A. Keller
Chief of Police (ret) FBI NA176
Project ALERT & Team ADAM consultant to the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NCMEC mkeller@ncmec.org

Microtel Inn
355 E Goodnight Ave Aransas Pass, TX 78336-1913
(361) 758-8000

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
1-800-THE-LOST

Nustar Corp- Donation of the tree

Pastor Kevin of Coastal Oaks Church
Rockport, TX 78382
(361)729.5320

Richard Norgard (Family Investigator)
nauticalguy@hotmail.com

WV Merrill- Headstone Design

White Lion- When the Children Cry

Little child dry your crying eyes how can I explain
the fear you feel inside
cause you were born into this evil world
where man is killing man but no one knows just why
what have we become just look what we have done
all that we destroyed you must build again

when the children cry let them know we tried
cause when the children sing then the new world begins

little child you must show the way
to a better day for all the young
cause you were born for all the world to see
that we all can live with love and peace
no more presidents and all the wars will end
one united world under god

when the children cry let them know we tried
cause when the children sing then the new world begins

what have we become just look what we have done
all that we destroyed
you must build again
no more presidents and all the wars will end
one united world under god

when the children cry let them know we tried when the children fight
let them know it ain't right
when the children pray let them know the way
cause when the children sing then the new world begins

For Elisa

On Aug 6,1989 my 13yr old sister Elisa Roberson disappeared. I was 12yrs old at the time. It was the most horrible time in my life. We were sisters- we fought and we played. I was the annoying little sister she was always trying to get rid of and I was always wanting to be just like her. Two years after Elisa disappeared, my mom moved us to Idaho. She feared for our lives. When we were growing up, my mom became involved with a very dangerous man, Ralph Gonzales. He abused us all. He terrorized us. There were many times when we watched my mom get beat so badly that we thought he was going to kill her. He was involved the Mexican Mafia and drug trade. To this day, my mom is convinced that he was the one who was responsible for Elisa's disappearance. However, the police dept did little in that avenue. There were other leads and another person of interest but after 20yrs, we are still looking for answers.

This year marked the 20 yr anniversary of my sister’s disappearance. I decided to go back to Texas and dedicate a memorial in her honor. We had a tree planted at the school she was supposed to have met her friend the day she disappeared. It was capped with a stone that read:

“In Memory of Elisa Roberson and for all the lost children, may they find their way back home.”


There were old friends there that I hadn’t seen in years. The community had done so much to help make this such a beautiful memorial. My trip to Aransas Pass was symbolic of putting my sister to rest and finding some sort of peace. It was the first time I actually allowed myself to mourn my sister's death. But the more I thought I was there for closure the more confused I became. You see... Elisa wasn't dead. When a loved one dies, you know they are deceased. It is a tangible thing that you can "try" to process. But a disappearance? How do you make sense or find closure when there is no definite outcome? There was no closure in this and the longer I was in Aransas Pass the angrier I became. I was angry at the Aransas Pass police department for 20 yrs of not being able to find anything. I was angry at the person responsible. I was angry that I couldn’t go back in time to make things right or change what happened and angry that my sister is not here enjoying life with all of us.

Shortly after the memorial, I spoke to a family friend named Richard Norgard. He is a private investigator. He offered to look into the case pro bono. It is an offer well appreciated and gladly taken. But what do I do with my life now? How to I get back to normal? For years, I put the Elisa's memory away so that I could live a normal life. My mom moved us away to start a new life free of fear and free of the dark shadow following us but it's like I'm in the shadow again. My heart aches for her. She is alive in my heart again and the fear and sadness is so overpowering at times. I wish this could be like the movies where the hero comes to avenge the death of a loved one but it is not like this. It is something I must endure and face and I will never give up until we know what happened to Elisa.

Twenty Years by Richard Norgard- dedicated to the memory of Elisa Roberson

Twenty years of sadness are etched into this stone

Twenty years of wishing that you will come back home

Twenty years of waiting for sunshine to appear

To a family that's known darkness, hopelessness and fear

Twenty years of building from a single grain of sand

The kind of life worth living in a new and different land

It's the hope that springs eternal, that forms a vital part

Is a loved one truly lost if love is in our hearts?

Twenty years of waiting, and today the world is shown

The twenty years of love are etched into this stone

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=731626&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US
http://www.kiiitv.com/news/area3news/52618207.html?corder=regular

http://www.aransaspassprogress.com/articles/2009/08/12/news/news01.txt

http://www.aransaspassprogress.com/articles/2009/06/19/news/news01.txt