ARANSAS PASS, Texas — The family of Elisa Roberson is back in Texas to honor her after she went missing in Aransas Pass in 1989. She was just 13 years old.
On Tuesday morning -- 35 years to the day that Roberson went missing while walking to her elementary school -- family and experts gathered at the Victim's Memorial Garden off Ocean Drive demanding justice and answers from the Aransas Pass Police Department.
There is a walk planned to remember her at 6 p.m. Tuesday along the route she took the night that she disappeared. Her sister Ruby Roberson Hall said the walk will honor her and bring more awareness to the case.
Another way Elisa's family plans to do that is with two petitions that she said will hopefully help them find out what happened.
"It was just a normal walk that Elisa has taken hundreds of times before, and so, that was the last walk that she took, and she disappeared, and we've never seen her since," Hall said.
It was a walk between Elisa's home and an elementary school in Aransas Pass where she planned to meet a friend. The City of Aransas Pass announced that August 6 will be named, "Elisa Roberson Day" in her honor.
As the family searched for answers about what happened to Elisa, they started two petitions. One calls for law enforcement agencies to release case files for missing and murdered people when the case is unsolved for at least 20 years. Hall said it has about 110 signatures, so far.
"It's gone on long enough, and now, we as a family, we want our chance, and we've got cold case experts that want to help but the first thing that they ask is, 'do you have the case files?' and of course, we don't have the case files," Hall said.
The second petition calls for a comprehensive review of Elisa's case. Hall said the family wants to get as much information as possible from Aransas Pass Police Department. She said that one is more recent and has about 50 signatures.
It comes as the family returns to Aransas Pass for the first time since 2016. Hall said a walk for her sister will be held to remember the last one Elisa took the night she disappeared.
"Not only is she our sister, our daughter, she's also the daughter of Aransas Pass, and so, we felt it was really important that we invited the community to be a part of this," Hall said.
Hall said anyone who wants to come to the walk on Tuesday should meet at Kieberger Career and Technology Center. She explained what she hopes to see as the community gathers to honor her sister.
"Look how many people are coming together for this little 13-year-old girl that went missing 35 years ago. That she means so much more than just a poster on the wall or a case number," Hall said. "She was a human being."