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Delano Burkes family continues search after six days
Delano Burkes, 26, was last seen outside a bar in the Heights, running down the street. FOX 26's Matthew Seedorff speaks with family and friends who are still searching for him after six full days.
HOUSTON - The desperate search continues in the Houston Heights area for 26-year-old Delano Burkes.
According to Houston police, Burkes was last seen leaving McIntyre’s Bar near the 1200 Block of West 20th Street around 1 a.m. Family and friends tell FOX 26 Burkes had been bar hopping with two close friends along West 20th Street on Saturday night.
However, at some point, they got split up.
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"They had texted Delano," said Delano’s brother Pierre Burkes. "Upon not getting a text back, [Delano’s 2 friends] went inside Moonshine where they thought he was. They didn’t see him. So, they made their way back to the car, circled the block, and left."
The two friends left with Delano’s vehicle. Loved ones believe the 26-year-old didn’t have an ID with him and his cellphone was low on battery.
"Where’s my son?" said Karen Jeffley. "Where’s my son at? Where’s Delano? Where is he? What happened?"
Surveillance video obtained by the family from nearby businesses shows Burkes leaving McIntyre’s and then running. Burkes can be seen running alone and stumbling, almost with a limp.
"It almost brought me to tears [watching that] honestly," said Pierre. "He seemed like he was struggling."
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"Someone gave him a drink," said Monee Burkes, Delano’s sister. "Then, you see him hours later running down the street. It looks like he’s running from someone to me."
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"The way he was fumbling around almost looked like he was drugged or something," said Jeffley. "Also, people keep bringing up, it looks like his side was hurting."
Burkes owns his own real estate investment company. His mother describes him as loving, generous, and gentle.
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"He won’t harm anybody," said Jeffley. "He’s that type of person. He doesn’t like confrontation."
Dozens of people have spent the last six, full-days looking for Burkes across the Heights area. So far, they haven’t found anything substantial. However, they’re not giving up hope.
"We don’t know where he is," said Sloane Conner, a friend. "We don’t really have a lot of answers right now. It’s really worrying."
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The group plans to meet on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. outside Restaurant Depot on West 20th Street to continue their search. The public is invited to join. If you have any information, or video relating to the case, you’re urged to contact police.
"I’m keeping faith that he’s somewhere and we’re going to find him," said Jeffley. "Maybe, he’s at a hospital somewhere. He didn't have his ID on him. So, maybe he’s out there under a John Doe or something like that."