The family of missing Colorado man David Hartley said they want American officials to continue to put pressure on Mexican authorities to help recover his body.
Hartley was allegedly shot and killed by pirates in the water of Falcon Lake near the ruins of Guerrero Viejo, a colonial town that was flooded when officials built the damn in the 1950s.
The Colorado man's wife Tiffany Hartley survived the attack but Mexican authorities and others are skeptical about her version of events.
During a Wednesday evening press conference in Zapata, the families of both Tiffany and David remained united in their support for her.
Wife Speaks
Tiffany Hartley maintains her version of what happened.
She called the skeptism "hurtful" and fired back against her critics.
"I know the truth and he knows the truth but he's not here to her to defend me," she said about her missing husband David.
Tiffany said David's company recently moved them from Reynosa to McAllen out of concerns for their safety.
They were planning to move back to Colorado shortly before the deadly attack.
On Wednesday, Tiffany Hartley returned to Falcon Lake for the first time since the incident.
Family members laid a wreath in the waters of the lake, which is located on the Rio Grande between the United States and Mexico.
Tiffany Hartley said she would come back to Falcon Lake to remember David but would no longer be able to enjoy it after the ordeal.
David's mother Pam Hartley sobbed during the press conference. She said the family is not satisfied with search efforts by Mexican officials.
"As long as David isn't here, nothing is being done," Pam Hartley said amid tears.
Search Continues
Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Relations sent out a press release saying they are stepping up efforts to find David's body using military and state police personnel.
But while out on the water, Pam Hartley said they didn't see anyone searching on the Mexican side.
Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez told reporters Tamaulipas State Police received threats from members of organized crime and discontinued their search.
The Mexican side of Falcon Lake is a disputed territory between rival drug trafficking organizations Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel.
Sheriff Gonzalez said he requested federal officials to send a Border Patrol drone to help in the search for David Hartley's body but it was down for service and maintenance.
All three of the Rio Grande Valley's Congressmen Henry Cuellar, Ruben Hinojosa and Solomon Ortiz are expected to hold a press conference about the incident and border security in Zapata at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Action 4 News will be there and send back updates.
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