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Does Noel Alkaramla’s Stepdad Know What Happened To Her?

By Chelsea Hoffman
Published on: 02:11 PST, Dec 8, 2015

The search for missing Troy woman Noel Alkaramla has not been fruitful, but there are new developments in her case which seem to indicate that one man knows what happened to her. The Times Union reports that the missing New York woman’s stepfather has been arrested, and he may have been the last person to see her before she seemingly vanished without a trace.

ABC News 10 reports that 39-year-old Johnny Oquendo was arrested on Friday on a parole violation, but the details surrounding why authorities took him into custody have not yet been clarified. Meanwhile, loved ones of the missing woman have shared their suspicions about the man. Alkaramla’s mother, for instance, claimed in an interview that she was worried about Oquendo’s possible involvement in her daughter’s disappearance.

Debra Napoli-Oquendo has been separated from Johnny Oquendo for about a year, and she claims that the man is a sex offender. However, he is not listed in New York state’s sex offender registry. That doesn’t mean Oquendo doesn’t have a violent criminal past. The Times Union reports that his criminal record includes convictions associated with felony robbery and assault.

Noel Alkaramla’s mother also revealed a disturbing detail surrounding the disappearance of the Troy woman. She said the location where the missing woman’s belongings were located was right in front of a burned-out, abandoned building. However, inside the building was a single room, which had been set up with a chair, table, curtain, ashtray and cable. The woman added that “something’s really wrong” with the circumstances surrounding Noel’s disappearance.

Authorities haven’t addressed whether or not they believe the missing woman’s stepfather has something to do with her disappearance, but some of his comments seem to indicate otherwise. When he was taken into custody, Oquendo reportedly told authorities that he had information that could help them find Noel. He told them to “look for a suitcase,” but asked for an attorney afterward, refusing to say anything more. It has been noted that Johnny Oquendo has worked as a butcher in the past.

In another disturbing turn of events, surveillance footage obtained by investigators has shown images of a man carrying a suitcase around the area of Washington and Fourth streets — where the missing woman’s belongings were found strewn along the sidewalk in front of the abandoned building.

Noel’s mother isn’t the only person with suspicions against the man. Noel’s girlfriend, Sarah Moore, says that she doesn’t have a good feeling about this.

“When she first disappeared, I had the gut feeling something was not right.”

Sarah Moore last spoke to Noel Alkaramla right before she disappeared. She notes that the missing woman seemed cheerful when they talked on the phone just before she finished work. She hasn’t seen her or spoken to her since that night.

Currently, the FBI is assisting state police investigators and local authorities in the search for Noel Alkaramla. So far, those searches have not turned up any evidence leading to the missing woman’s whereabouts. If you know anything about the disappearance of the Troy woman or any other detail that could aid authorities, please do not hesitate to call the Troy Police Department. Any information could prove useful in either locating the missing woman or finding evidence to lead authorities in the right direction.

Photo: Troy Police handout

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