The body of Madeline Molina Pantoja, 20, was found 10 days after she was last seen at her Midland, Texas apartment complex
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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 Facebook statement from 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 station KMID reports, citing an affidavit.
An autopsy will be performed in Dallas County as part of the ongoing investigation, police said, per the report.
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According to KMID, CNN and Fox 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 records from the Midland County Sheriff’s Office show. Chacon did not have an attorney listed.
Though police did not publicly reveal the relationship between the suspect and victim, an affidavit obtained by KMID states that Pantoja’s loved ones told investigators the pair were dating and had recently separated.
Family and friends previously said Pantoja was arguing with a man before her disappearance, according to KMID.
“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.
The man she was last seen arguing with has not been publicly identified by police, however, loved ones claimed in the affidavit that the man was Chacon, KMID reports. Pantoja’s family and friends became suspicious when Chacon, who reportedly had a key to the woman’s apartment, “did not appear concerned,” the affidavit reportedly states.
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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A $20,000 reward for information that could lead to Pantoja’s whereabouts was announced by Midland Mayor Lori Blong before Pantoja was found dead.
Authorities say they linked Chacon to Pantoja’s disappearance and death using surveillance footage and cell phone pings, KMID reports, citing the affidavit.
It’s unclear if Chacon has entered a plea.
The investigation continues.
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