Elderly Ballinger Man Missing Since February Found Dead Near Water Treatment Plant

BALLINGER, TX — A missing Ballinger man’s decomposed body was discovered Friday at around 9 a.m. near the Ballinger Water Treatment Plant, the Runnels County Register reported Friday afternoon.

Gabriel Padron, 74, went missing Feb. 9 when family said he left his home to take out the trash. A region-wide search and requests for information of his whereabouts were published on San Angelo LIVE!, other media outlets as well as social media. The Register reported searches were organized using aircraft and vehicles after the man went missing.

Readers of San Angelo LIVE! sent us photos taken in San Antonio of a man who appeared similar to Padron. But those photos were quickly dismissed. In the end, today’s discovery proves Mr. Padron didn’t travel that far,

His body was discovered by a city water department worker about one mile from his home. The Register reported that Ballinger Police Chief Stan Maresch confirmed that the body discovered was likely Padron because of a wallet containing his identification cards were found there as well. The body appeared to the clad in the same clothing Mr. Padron was reported to be wearing that day.

Padron’s family has been notified and the remains were sent to a medical examiner in Mesquite for an autopsy. The autopsy may rule out foul play, the police chief said.

For more on the discovery of Padron’s remains, see this story.