Police search for missing endangered woman last seen in NW Cape Coral

Cape Coral police are actively searching for a Cape Coral woman they say may be in danger. Tuesday afternoon, helicopters were searching the area where she was last seen.

Diane Ruiz, 43, was last seen along the 200 block of NW 3rd Terrace on Monday. She is described as 5-feet, 5-inches tall, 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.  She has a tattoo of a dragon and a rose on her back.

“She is basically the best mother that any son could ask for,” said Brandon Cuellar, Ruiz’s son.

A manager at the Moose Lodge on Santa Barbara Boulevard N says Ruiz has worked there for five years and has never missed a day. They say employees knew something was wrong within an hour of the start of her shift and began looking for her.

“It’s been very very hard thinking that something bad might’ve happened to her,” said Scott Hannon, Ruiz’s boyfriend. “But I don’t want to think about that.”

Ruiz’s loved ones say she was last known to be heading to work before she went missing. Ruiz’s two children and her entire family are devastated and praying for her safe return home.

“Someone has done this to her,” Hannon said. “She hasn’t run away. She hasn’t left us. I know for a fact.”

The family checked her bank accounts and cell phone records, and nothing has been touched since Monday morning. But police say a purse they believe is Ruiz’ was found across the street from her place of work.

Anyone with information on Ruiz’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Cape Coral Police Department at (239) 574-3223 or 911.

“I was the last person to see her walk out that door,” Cuellar said. “Just torture is the only word I can really say, just by sitting here and waiting. Waiting for her to call, waiting for someone to drop her off and make sure that she walks through the doors.”