Rudy Farias case: Longtime detective doesn’t think activist’s involvement helps investigation

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A local activist is calling Houston police detectives “absolute liars” after they said allegations of abuse were never made to them in the Rudy Farias case.

Farias was reported missing in 2015 at 17 years old. He was found on the steps of a church in the Magnolia Park community eight years later on June 29, according to police.

Since then, neighbors came forward and said that they were stunned to learn that Farias was ever considered missing. Family members pointed fingers at the now-25-year-old’s mother as being involved.

“There have been crimes committed here, but how do you get to the bottom of it? And how do you get it to the point where you can prosecute the case?” Mark Stephens, a former longtime Houston police detective, said.

Activist Quanell X became involved this week at the family’s request, he said.

Quanell said he spoke to Farias in front of HPD detectives and that is when allegations of abuse at the hand of his mother were raised.

At a news conference Thursday, police said allegations of abuse were not reported to them.

“They are absolute liars,” Quanell said. “That man heard everything that I heard.”

In response, HPD tweeted a reminder that the investigation is active and ongoing and asks everyone to respect the process.

Stephens said Quanell’s involvement could be detrimental to an already complex case and could make filing charges for the abuse impossible if the allegations are proven to be accurate.

As he explained, a credible witness and corroborating evidence are needed to prosecute a case.

“He got on national television and declared to the world for the past eight years, Rudy, the alleged victim here, has been on psychedelic drugs,” Stephens said. “So basically for the last decade, why would you then believe him when he tells you these horrible stories about his mother?”

He believes investigators on the case have done their jobs.

“To expect them to jump out and make an arrest based on all this, it’s impossible,” Stephens said. “You can’t do that. We need to step back and let HPD do their job.”

Stephens believes the focus of the investigation could shift to fraud that Farias’ mother is being accused of surrounding his disappearance. He also thinks investigators will look into whether Farias himself was involved in it.