Missing California woman spotted in Edinburg

EDINBURG - Police are searching for a missing California woman who was spotted at a truck stop here Wednesday morning.

Catherine Marie Lique, 49, has been missing since December 2003 from the Barstow, Calif. area, according to Detective Jeremy Bledsoe with the Barstow Police Department.

Lique is a chronic methamphetamine user and she frequents truck stops, Bledsoe said. Her adult daughter lost contact of Lique six years ago after her mother stopped answering phone calls.

"She's just worried," Bledsoe said. "We can't force her to call or come back but (Lique's daughter) just wants to know she's alive and well."

Investigators had few leads in the case until today, when the woman was apparently spotted at a truck stop in the Edinburg area.

She may be using the alias "Catherine Marie Schwab," Bledsoe said.

Her last known location was the Topper Motel in Barstow on Nov. 26, 2003. She may also have been spotted at the Flying J Truck Stop in Russellville, Arkansas on Tuesday.

Lique is a white female with brown hair and blue eyes. She is about 5 feet tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds. She has a tattoo on her right hand.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Bledsoe at 760-255-5183.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.