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Father of Missing Teen Timothy Ryan Soto Speaks Out After Son's Death

The family of a missing man who was found dead last week is waiting for answers. The autopsy to figure out how 19-year-old Timothy Ryan Soto died is not finished. But on Monday, officials confirmed the body found in Soto's car in a field in Odessa was him.
By Geena Martinez
NewsWest 9

ODESSA - The family of a missing man who was found dead last week is waiting for answers. The autopsy to figure out how 19-year-old Timothy Ryan Soto died is not finished.

But on Monday, officials confirmed the body found in Soto's car in a field in Odessa was him.

The family is devastated. Tim's 20th birthday would've been on Saturday.

It's been four agonizing months since Valente Soto last saw his son, Timothy Ryan Soto, but Val never thought it would end like it did.

"Everybody's just shocked through all of this," Val said.

Tim had been missing since September, but on Friday, officials found his car with Tim's body inside. The car was found hidden by brush in a field in west Odessa.

"I was just hoping that it wasn't him," Val said. "I'm confused right now. I don't understand."

Val said he last spoke to his son on the phone shortly before he vanished.

"It was pretty alarming to me. I just thought he was upset and you know, he was just going through things," Val said.

He said he doesn't know of anyone who wanted to hurt his son. He thought maybe Tim just wanted to get away.

"It wasn't like him," Val said. "I figured he would just get over it and come back."

Now while the family waits for answers as to how Tim died, they're remembering him for his love of family and his favorite sport.

"We were real close, we were close," Val said. "He was a real good kid. He was real respectful and he loved football."

"I'm gonna miss his smile, he loved to joke a lot," Savannah Soto, Tim's stepmother, said.

All memories they're promising to share one day with his one-year-old daughter.

"He loved Trinity, he would always talk about her," Savannah said. "He was a good kid, he's gonna be missed."

The family has set up an account for donations to help with funeral costs.

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