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The remains of a Texas woman who had been missing for more than a week were found Saturday, the same day authorities arrested a man in connection with her killing, according to multiple news reports.
Madeline Molina Pantoja, 20, was last seen around 11 p.m. on May 10 at her Midland, Tx., apartment complex, where she vanished without her vehicle and cell phone, according to a Facebookstatementfrom the Midland Police Department.
About 10 days later, her body was found in a field within a one-mile radius of E County Road 190 and South County Road 1138, local stationKMIDreports, citing an affidavit.
An autopsy will be performed in Dallas County as part of the ongoing investigation, police said, per the report.
According to KMID,CNNandFox News, Midland police said they arrested Mario Juan Chacon Jr., 24, on May 20, shortly after the discovery of Pantoja’s remains.
Chacon has been charged with murder and is being held on $3 million bond,online court recordsfrom the Midland County Sheriff’s Office show. Chacon did not have an attorney listed.
Family and friends previously said Pantoja was arguing with a man before her disappearance, according toKMID.
“People from those apartments have spoken more about things, they heard arguments, not just on her floor…but outside,” Pantoja’s cousin, Myriam Benavides, told the outlet.
Pantoja’s friend Karen Ramos told KMID that she went to the woman’s apartment to look for her and had trouble getting inside, before finally finding Pantoja’s phone, keys and dog in the apartment.
“We finally got into her apartment and her keys were in there, but the door was locked, and he [the man] was the only one who had a key,” Ramos said.
A missing persons investigation was then launched. Within that time, multiple law enforcement agencies had searched a remote 60-square-mile radius, served a dozen search warrants, and interviewed around 25 people, Police Chief Seth Herman said during a May 19 press conference streamed to Facebook.
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It’s unclear if Chacon has entered a plea.
The investigation continues.
source: people.com
