FBI Asks Public for Help in New Mexico Cold Case

Anthonette Cayedito’s 35-year-old case is one of the many that include missing Native American women.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

9-year old Anthonette “Squirrel” Cayedito was fast asleep at 3:00 AM that night of April 6, 1986, when she and her younger sister Wendy heard progressively louder raps on the door of their Gallup, New Mexico apartment.

KNOCK. Knock. KNOCK.

The force of the knocks rapidly shed any pretense of civility in trying to enter. Was that Uncle Joe? He sounded hurried and irate — like something horrible had happened.

Knock-KNOCK-Knock-KNOCK

“It’s Uncle Joe! Open the door!”, bellowed a male voice as the knocks continued.

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK

Anthonette and Wendy thought for a moment. Didn’t mom have a brother named Joe?

The man’s voice was gruff, surly — like he swallowed a bottle of whiskey then smoked a carton of Marlboro Reds while binge-eating gravel and being flattened by an 18 wheeler. Mom’s family didn’t do any of those things. Still, maybe the man was sick.

She should ask mom before opening the door, she told him.

“No! Come on! It’s just Uncle Joe!”, he replied.

She thought for a moment. Her mom and sisters were in the next rooms. What’s the worst that could happen?