Houston mom laid to rest after remains identified in Liberty Co.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A family is one step closer to closure.

Esmerelda Pargas was last seen alive when she went for a run in August 2016. According to family, she told her youngest daughter she was heading for the Gulf Bank area near her home.

Nobody heard from her after that.

Almost three weeks later, authorities found decomposed human remains in a Liberty County field. It wasn't until last week, nearly a year and a half later, that those same remains were identified as Pargas.

On Friday, family members said goodbye to their loved one during a memorial service. Esmerelda's daughter, Maricruz Salinas, is about to give birth to a baby boy.

For Maricruz, there is sadness to know that her mom will never get to meet her new grandson and a granddaughter who was already born.

"How do you live with that not knowing? It's very hard. It's very hard not knowing exactly what happened, but hopefully, we'll get answers soon," Salinas said.

Investigators tell Eyewitness News, the investigation into Pargas' death is really beginning now that they finally know the identity of the remains.

So far, authorities said Pargas may have gone to look for new homes.

There are also no suspects, and a cause of death is still not known.

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