San Jacinto College student Leilani Rodriguez still missing three weeks after leaving Pasadena campus

Three weeks after 18-year-old San Jacinto College student Leilani Rodriguez walked off the Pasadena campus on the afternoon of Sept. 23, she is still missing, and campus police and local authorities are still asking Pasadena for tips.

Rodriguez is about 5 feet 2 inches tall and about 110 pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a purple Coraline shirt, black pants, and black-and-white sneakers, and she may have been wearing a black hoodie.

The afternoon of Sept. 23

Rodriguez was last seen leaving San Jacinto College's Central Campus — the Pasadena campus at 8060 Spencer Highway — on foot around noon on September 23. At about 1:40 p.m. that same day, she sent her parents text messages that authorities described as concerning.

Using local camera footage and the last known phone ping, investigators traced her to the south end of the Fred Hartman Bridge, near La Porte. Subsequent attempts to ping her phone returned an "Absent Subscriber" message, indicating the device appeared inactive.

Still seeking tips

The San Jacinto College Police Department is leading the request for the public's help in locating Rodriguez and is coordinating with local law-enforcement agencies. The college said it is aware a student has been reported missing and is fully cooperating, but declined further comment because the case is active.

San Jacinto College Police Investigator Eric Reyes is the investigator handling tips in the case. Anyone with information or who sees Rodriguez is asked to call Reyes at 281-476-1820 or 832-572-0476. The tip line remains open as of Oct. 14.

The campus sits at 8060 Spencer Highway, surrounded by the neighborhoods, sidewalks, and traffic that students, parents, faculty, and shift workers move through every day. The person who saw Rodriguez that afternoon — who can say where she went after leaving campus — is most likely someone who was right around campus. Twenty-one days have passed since Sept. 23, and who hasn't come forward yet is the question that still needs an answer.