LAKEWOOD, CA — Hugo Funes will never forget the first night his nine-year-old sister was raped. Funes remembers the fear in the air. He tells In Pursuit, “The squeak of the door kind of woke me up. We were young. My sister was about nine and I was about six. I saw Tomas walk in. He kind of gently tapped her on the shoulder and Ana stood up.”

Funes says he didn’t understand at the time why Ana was walking out to Tomas Gonzalez, who was the live-in boyfriend of the children's mother, Lidia.

Through the small crack of the door, Funes says he witnessed what was happening to his sister. Because he was young and confused, Funes didn’t cry out for help. Instead he waited quietly until his sister came back into the room. When she emerged, he says his six-year-old brain kicked into high gear and he began to ask her questions. Funes said Ana would only say, “What she was doing was something to help keep the family together.”

Funes tells In Pursuit, that Gonzalez gave Ana a disturbing scenario. Basically, if she did not do what he told her to do, their entire family would be put on the streets. Funes says Ana was a brave child and had determined to do whatever it took at the time to make sure they stayed in a safe environment. Funes and Ana both made a promise that night to each other, vowing to never tell a soul.

When the abuse began, Lidia wasn’t home to protect her daughter — she was in the hospital, giving birth to Gonzalez’s child. She had no idea what her nine-year-old was enduring day after day.

THE ABUSE CONTINUES FOR YEARS

According to Funes, Ana suffered in silence for many years to come. It wasn’t until six years later, when Ana was 15, that someone else found out and put a stop to it. “I remember it was after school. I guess maybe my mom was beginning to have suspicions about something. She came in the house and first thing she asked is, ‘Where is Ana?’”

All Funes remembers after that moment was banging on the door, crying, screaming, and a lot of arguing. Lidia was finally onto Gonzalez and his sick ways. Unable to tolerate what he was doing to her daughter, she immediately kicked him out.

One would think Ana would be relieved and happy her attacker was no longer around to take advantage of her, but because of her long history of abuse at such a young age, she was brainwashed and confused. In the middle of all of the chaos, Ana realized that the sexual abuse she was put through didn’t ultimately help the family stay together. Funes says, “It did cause my mom a lot of pain, and that’s what she was trying to avoid.”

Funes remembers coming home not long after Gonzalez was kicked out, and all of Ana’s personal belongings were gone, too. He tells In Pursuit that Ana had disappeared, and everyone later learned she’d left to live with Gonzalez. During that depressing time, no one saw Ana or had any contact with her, until nearly a year later.

ANA REACHES OUT FOR HELP

When Ana did eventually reach out to her family and want to come home, she was welcomed back with open arms. “Ana was carrying a little boy. And she told me, ‘Hugo, I’m going to present to you my son,’” Funes remembers.

Shockingly, this wasn’t the only person Ana had in tow — Gonzalez was with her as well. Despite the history, the abuser was forgiven and accepted back into the house.

While investigating this case for In Pursuit, Callahan Walsh says he wants to learn more about why Ana would make the confusing choice to move out of her mother’s home and into the arms of her abuser.

Dr. Lekeisha Sumner says, “Ana is a girl. She is 15 years old. And since age 9, she’s experienced unrelenting violence and abuse from a man who tells her he loves her.” The bottom line, according to Sumner, is that Gonzales is a “master manipulator.” He’s well versed on how to lure and charm his victims, she adds. Gonzalez likely made Ana and any other victims, “feel as though they can’t live without him,” Sumner says.

Dr. Sumner adds, “There are many reasons that women will take back the abuser. He provided financial assistance. He offered them the illusion of protection.”

Unbelievably, Gonzalez and Lidia eventually reconciled. They not only got back together, but Lidia became pregnant again, too. Once Lidia gave birth, there were multiple children inside the home fathered by Gonzalez, and they were all living in a complex and toxic environment.

CANCER DIAGNOSIS

A few years after Gonzalez and Ana moved back home, Funes says Lidia was diagnosed with lung cancer. The cancer spread and moved so quickly that Lidia didn’t stand a chance.

After she had passed away, things inside the home drastically shifted. Ana stepped into the shoes of being the head of the family. She was taking care of the kids and ended up back in a relationship with Gonzalez, Funes adds. He couldn't take anymore, so Funes says he moved out.

ANA FINALLY WANTS OUT

Years passed, and Ana finally had enough of the man who took her childhood and her innocence. “At that point, she no longer wanted to be there with Tomas. She wanted better. She wanted out of what she was in,” Funes says.

He tried to help his sister, but she was in fear for her life. Ana told Funes that Gonzalez had threatened her with a gun and was going to kill her if she tried to leave.

The breaking point was the day Ana told Gonzalez’s oldest son about what his father did to her for years. Ana and Gonzalez got into a heated argument, and the older brother stepped in and stood up to his father for Ana. He told his dad he knew what he had done.

HIS PARTING DEED

On September 12, 2008, Gonzalez was set to leave America in shame. He purchased a one-way ticket for Guadalajara, Mexico, and planned to never look back. This was a relief to everyone in the family, especially Ana.

On that September day, Gonzalez did leave the country, but not before causing more destruction. Funes remembers he was trying to call Ana, but she wasn't answering her phone. He knew something was extremely wrong. Ana’s family gathered at her apartment, but no one went inside. The family says they were able to get in touch with Gonzalez’s brother who got in touch with him. “He asked him, ‘Where are you?’ and Gonzales broke down and said, ‘I did something very stupid.’”

Funes immediately called 911. When investigators went inside the home, they found Ana’s dead body. “He had placed her body behind the sofas where the kids were sitting the whole time," Funes tells In Pursuit.

MURDER INVESTIGATION TAKES OFF

Retired Homicide Detective Richard Ramirez was on the scene for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at the time. He tells In Pursuit, “Based on the markings around her neck, and the rope that was there, it appeared that she had been strangled to death. Strangulation is a very personal approach to killing somebody.”

Funes is now left with the children in the family. “I was left with the kids. You know, I feel that I can repay my sister for not speaking up, for not defending her, at least my way to pay her back is by raising her kids, make them a great person, make ‘em somebody their mom would be proud of.”

Investigators say Gonzalez is dangerous. He’s wanted for homicide and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. The U.S. Marshals also issued a warrant for his arrest.

It's possible he's living in Mexico with a new wife and children, maybe embedded in another family with young girls.

TRAITS & CHARACTERISTICS:

• Weight: 180 pounds
• Height: 5 feet 8 inches
• Sex: Male
• Race: Hispanic
• Eyes: Brown
• Hair: Salt and pepper
• Nickname: El Amenaza “The Threat”
• Location of crime: Lakewood, CA
• Last seen: September 12, 2008
• Could be working as a roofer on a construction site
• Two separate L-shaped scars, one on the inside of each forearm, near his elbows
• Possibly living in Mexico

If you know anything about this case, please call our hotline (833) 3-PURSUE or submit a tip online.

For more on this case, watch the “Deadly Double Life” episode of In Pursuit With John Walsh on Wednesday, February 20 at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery! Or catch up on ID GO.