Fernandez was last seen at approximately 10:30 p.m. on July 17, 2004, in the 1800 block of north Linden Avenue in Trinidad, Colorado. He left the Northside Bar and called a female acquaintance who lives on Linden Avenue. He sounded urgent and said he needed to speak with her immediately. He was less than a ten-minute walk from her home, but he never arrived there. He has never been heard from again.

Authorities would like to talk to Jonathan Abeyta, an acquaintance of Fernandez who bailed him out of the Las Animas County Jail shortly before his disappearance. Abeyta had also been an inmate at the jail; he and Fernandez met while staying there. Fernandez was jailed on charges of theft by receiving, and Abeyta for burglary. They were together in Colorado Springs, Colorado for two days before Fernandez disappeared. Police have not called Abeyta a suspect in his disappearance but they would like to learn his whereabouts and question him.

Investigators are uncertain what caused Fernandez's disappearance, but his mother believes he met with foul play, as it is uncharacteristic of him to be gone so long without making contact with his family members. Fernandez's case remains unsolved.