DIVIDE — The family of a Colorado Springs man found dead off of Highway 67 in Divide is demanding answers. The Teller County Sheriff's Office said detectives found a dead body off Highway 67 on March 2nd. It was later confirmed to be 21-year-old Eduardo Castaneda.
"I cry every single day," said his sister Maria Castaneda. Maria said his friends who last saw him are telling conflicting stories. They were coming back from a casino night in Cripple Creek.
"The certain person he was with said that he went to the restroom, he got off to pee and they didn't see him," said Maria.
Maria said they also claim he jumped out of the car intentionally.
"My brother did not die because he wanted to die, something happened to him," said Maria.
His friends told her they last saw him on February 27th, but didn't say he was missing until March 1st. That's when Maria filed the missing persons report.
Maria said her brother's friend sent her a location of where they last saw him.
"We passed this [spot] a thousand times and his body was not here on that Wednesday," said Maria.
Maria said if he may still be alive if he was reported missing early.
The family of about ten put more flowers on Eduardo's memorial. Maria held back tears, "if I could sit out here and be with him I would but I can't."
Maria said his friends aren't telling the whole story.
"It's not fair for us to sit around wondering what happened with my brother when people know what happened," said Maria.
The family is looking to the sheriff's office for more information.
"We are keeping [the family] up to date with the information we do have," said the sheriff's office PIO Lt. Renee Bunting.
She said they can't give any updates to an ongoing investigation. "Because we don't want to give out false information and we certainly don't want to give out any false hope either."
The sheriff's office can't confirm whether Eduardo's death is being investigated as a suicide. I reached out to the county coroner and he said in an email, "This is an ongoing investigation, our office will not be releasing any information."
"I loved telling him that everything was going to be okay and I wish I was there for him that night," said Maria.
If you have information, you can call (719) 687-9652 or report information online anonymously.
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