The family of a local man who had been missing for almost a month expressed their relief last evening after they were notified Luis Hernandez Nieves had been found.

The Andalusia Police Department issued a BOLO Monday afternoon after Nieves’ family filed a missing persons report and sought their help.

Nieves’ niece told The Star-News yesterday that the last time that his family had heard from him was Tue., Feb. 13, when he said he was going to be working on a friend’s car on Stewart Street.

“This is very unusual for him,” Alexandra Acosta said. “We are desperate to find out anything.”

Acosta said the reason that it took them so long to look for help was because they thought that he was just not answering the phone, until a woman who identified herself as his girlfriend called them on the Feb. 24 to let them know that he was missing.

Once Nieves’ family found out, Acosta’s two other uncles left Florida to look for Nieves.

When the uncles got to the man’s Andalusia apartment, they found it open and that he had not paid rent.

“He doesn’t do that, he is always on time with his payments,” Acosta said.

Last night, family members notified The Star-News he had been found and is safe.

“We are just glad he is alive, Acosta said.