Texas lady, 11, discovered raped and murdered below her mattress ‘was killed by MIGRANT, 18, who crossed into El Paso in January and was promptly freed by authorities’

The primary suspect within the homicide of an 11-year-old lady discovered strangled to dying below her mattress in Texas is a Guatemalan immigrant who entered the US in January.

Maria Gonzalez was discovered by her father at their dwelling in Pasadena, Texas, on Saturday, August 12. She had additionally been sexually assaulted, police mentioned.

Pasadena Police Division on Friday named Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, 18, as a ‘particular person of curiosity’ and the primary suspect within the case.

He ‘was residing on the identical house complicated the place the sufferer was discovered however has since left’, police mentioned. Garcia-Rodriguez is now being hunted by cops.

Garcia-Rodriguez is believed to have entered the US in January. He crossed the border in El Paso, Texas. After he ‘self-surrendered’, it’s believed {the teenager}, who was 17 when he crossed, was then let free.

Maria Gonzalez was discovered by her father at their dwelling in Pasadena, Texas, on Saturday, August 12. The 11-year-old was discovered strangled below her mattress

In a press convention on Friday – six days after the homicide – Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger named Garcia-Rodriguez as a ‘particular person of curiosity’

Detectives have launched {a photograph} of Garcia-Rodriguez with their attraction and in addition supplied a $5,000 reward for data resulting in his arrest or prices.

Sources within the Division of Homeland Safety informed NewsNation police consider he could have fled to Mexico.

Garcia-Rodriguez had been launched as a result of he had a sponsor in Louisiana. A sponsor usually agrees to supply housing or monetary help to a migrant whereas they’re processed and their standing is set.

Maria’s father known as police at round 3pm on Saturday and mentioned he had discovered his daughter’s lifeless physique below her mattress.

Paramedics pronounced her useless on the scene. 

Police say the lady’s father, Carmelo Gonzalez, 32, had discovered her after returning dwelling from work. She had been sexually assaulted and killed. 

Detectives initially mentioned they’d no suspects within the case and urged anybody with data which might catch Maria’s killer to come back ahead.

In a press convention on Friday – six days after the invention – they named Garcia-Rodriguez as a ‘particular person of curiosity’. 

Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger mentioned that detectives discovered at key on the crime scene which didn’t match any locks on the property. They found it was in actual fact linked to a different deal with within the house complicated the place Garcia-Rodriguez was staying.

Carmelo Gonzalez mentioned he left for work at round 10am on Saturday and communicated along with his daughter over the cellphone just a little later. That’s when she informed him a stranger was knocking on the door

‘Now we have turned over fairly a little bit of proof to the Institute of Forensic Sciences,’ he mentioned, including that DNA proof could be processed. Police have a DNA pattern for Garcia-Rodriguez, he mentioned.

‘He was final seen on the house complicated at 4pm Monday,’ mentioned the chief. ‘His whereabouts aren’t identified.’

Chief Bruegger mentioned that detectives spoke to Garcia-Rodriguez on the house complicated on Monday, earlier than he was a suspect. The image launched by officers on Friday was a nonetheless from bodycam footage of the interplay.

He was residing at a property with two others who’re additionally from Guatemala. 

On the day Maria was found, her father had left their house for work at about 10 a.m. and had been in communication along with his daughter over the cellphone.

Shortly after leaving, Carmelo mentioned he obtained a message from Maria telling him somebody had been knocking on the entrance door.

On Tuesday, Bruegger had revealed Carmelo then known as members of the family who resided in the identical house complicated to examine on his daughter.

Members of the family weren’t capable of finding her, in keeping with authorities. That was till her dad got here dwelling and located her physique. 

Her official explanation for dying was dominated as asphyxiation resulting from strangulation and blunt drive head and neck trauma.

Extra investigation decided she had additionally been sexually assaulted.

Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger mentioned the division doesn’t but have a suspect

Maria and her father had lived on the comparatively quiet house complicated for about three months when the homicide occurred

Regulation enforcement officers mentioned there was no compelled entry into the house, and they don’t at present have any suspects.

‘At this level, the daddy’s alibi checks out, so he’s, at this level, not thought of a suspect on this investigation,’ Bruegger mentioned.

He famous that the daddy and daughter had been dwelling within the house complicated for about three months. The lady’s mom lives in Guatemala. 

‘Whoever noticed one thing simply after 10 a.m. on Saturday at that specific house, we’re asking them to come back ahead with the data they could have,’ mentioned Bruegger.

‘We’re doing our degree greatest to get out and resolve this crime,’ Brugger informed reporters. ‘As a father or mother of an almost-10-year-old myself, it actually is a trigger for concern.’

Police have taken DNA samples from some folks dwelling within the complicated, however they are saying getting cooperation has been difficult.

Tens of hundreds of migrants have entered the US through El Paso this year. The disaster has been ongoing for a number of years however reached its peak in round December 2022 as the federal government ready to finish covid-era Title 42 guidelines that made it more durable to enter the nation.

Many current to authorities and are processed earlier than they’re launched. Most are anticipated to seem in court docket at a later date for a course of to find out their standing.