Missing Marina Mother’s Husband Pleads For Her Safe Return

UPDATE: A helicopter is expected to fly over the entire city of Marina Wednesday for Carie Leetch.

The husband of a woman who vanished from their Marina home three days ago is pleading for her safe return.

Carie Leetch disappeared on Friday morning. She also goes by Carie Munoz, Carie Hufford, and the nickname Lulu.

Shaking and holding back tears, David Hufford showed Central Coast News pictures of his wife and their family.

“I love her and I miss her and I don’t know if she’s going to come back,” he said.

The 29-year-old disappeared Friday morning, leaving all of her belongings, including her cell phone, something Hufford said is unlike her. He said he last saw her at their home before he left for an appointment. She was reported missing around 1:30 p.m.

“She was sick, so she stayed here and when I came back she was gone,” he said.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team and Marina police searched for Leetch on Saturday relatively close to her home near Imjin Parkway and Abrams Drive. Then after a tip came in from a woman who said she saw someone who looked like Leetch, the search resumed Monday in the same area. The woman said the woman she saw was wearing a grey sweater/sweatshirt and pink or purple pants and was barefoot.

As of Monday, Leetch was still missing and there were no leads.

People who live in the quiet community of Carpenter Court said they knew very little about Leetch but said she was a nice woman.

“My granddaughter at times plays with her daughter, her 10-year-old daughter,” said Jackie Robinson, a neighbor. “She’s friendly when you see her and she speaks. I see her riding bikes sometimes.”

“I’ve seen her around here and there. They’re a pretty reserved kind of family. They do come out, friends, family joking around, kids playing and everything,” said April Celestino, a neighbor.

Now Hufford said he doesn’t know what to do, but wait for Leetch to come home.

“It’s hard because I’m used to having her here and she’s not here,” he said.

Hufford told Central Coast News Leetch worked as a hair stylist on the Monterey Peninsula, but said she hadn’t had a client in several months. Police said she worked at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Police released this updated description of Leetch: Medium complexion Hispanic/Puerto Rican female, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a gray sweater/sweatshirt, pink or purple pajama bottoms with an unknown logo printed on them.

Anyone with information on where Leetch could be should contact the Marina Police Department at (831) 384-7575.