SAN ANTONIO – The holidays are another sad reminder for a local family that one of their own is not with them.
Patty Vaughan disappeared 19 years ago.
Jean Kiolbassa, Vaughan's aunt, said Tuesday's news of the disappearance of Isaura Smithhart, 41, made her burst into tears.
"It was just too close to home," Kiolbassa said. "It was just too close to the heart."
Vaughan was last seen on Christmas Day, 1996. To this day, her body has not been found, and no arrests have been made.
Family members have long believed Vaughan's husband, J.R. Vaughan, is responsible for the crime.
"Honestly, we live in the year 2015, and I cannot believe that my niece has been dead for 19 years, and nothing has been done," Kiolbassa said.
Kiolbassa said she and her sister, who is Patty Vaughan's mother, and Patty Vaughan's children have not given up.
They have new hope now that a book about Patty Vaughan's life and the investigation is in the works.
"Hopefully, with this book coming out, it will let people know that Patty is still missing," Kiolbassa said. "We have not found her body yet. We're not giving up on finding her body until she is brought home."
Kiolbassa believes a lot of mistakes have been made in the case.
"Our heart goes out to the family, because I know they want answers," Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said.
Pamerleau said her department also hopes to get those answers.
"I would just encourage the public, if they know anything at all, however small it may seem, it might be just that little bit of information that leads us in a direction that we can solve this," Pamerleau said.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 210-335-TIPS.
The book on Patty Vaughan's life is expected to be released sometime next year.