Nearly 30 years after the death of her 3-year-old daughter, a mother has been arrested in Mexico by U.S.law enforcement officers on first-degree murder charges.Anna Marlene Somoza, 60, was arrested by the U.S.
Marshals Service after more than 12 years as a fugitive in Mexico.Her close connections to cartels allowed her to avoid apprehension, authorities said.Somoza will be extradited to the United States to face charges for allegedly murdering her daughter, Crystal Reyes, according to the U.S.
Marshals Service.Anna Marlene Somoza is accused of murdering her daughter.(FOX 10)MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDRENBefore her death, Reyes was subjected to severe abuse, torture and starvation, the agency said.Confined to a small dog kennel, Reyes was bound by her hands and feet, gagged and left for weeks at a time.
On Jan.30, 1997, Reyes was bound, suffocated with a towel taped to her face, and left to die inside a sealed cardboard box, the agency said.DNA TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO ARREST IN 1988 KILLING OF ORLANDO WOMAN AFTER NEARLY FOUR DECADESAuthorities began investigating after human bone fragments were found in a deserted area of Arizona by a hunter in November 1998.
Almost two decades passed.Then in August 2014, forensic DNA analysis identified the fragments of bone as remains of Reyes.FORENSIC GENEALOGY UNMASKS COLD CASE SUSPECT AS STRANGLER, SEXUAL PREDATOR DECADES LATER: OFFICIALSDetectives interviewed the child’s biological father and confirmed her identity using his DNA.Then, they said, they had sufficient grounds to charge Somoza and Avelino Tamala, her boyfriend at the time of Reyes’ death, with first-degree murder in December 2014.Tamala was found guilty of Crystal’s murder in 2016.
He was sentenced to life in prison.Avelino Tamala was convicted of murdering Crystal Reyes.(FOX 10)DRUG CARTEL KINGPIN AMONG TARGETS IN SWEEPING TRUMP CRACKDOWN ON ALLEGED MEXICAN CORRUPTION NETWORKBut Somo...