[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A Houston household spent Tuesday frantically trying to find their beloved 21-year-old daughter Idania Campos (pictured above, decrease left) after she failed to indicate up in school. Then, that evening, with the Houston Police Division additionally trying to find the lady, Campos’ father got here throughout her deserted automotive within the Texas metropolis’s Meyerland neighborhood. He broke into it, popped the trunk, and found essentially the most terrible web site of his life: Idania’s lifeless physique.
Now, police have arrested 19-year-old Ariel Cruz (pictured above, high proper, in his mugshot) and charged him with homicide. Cruz is Campos’ ex-boyfriend, per police statements. In arrest paperwork obtained by KHOU 11 Information, ABC 13 Information, and others, detectives say Cruz allegedly killed Campos after she broke up with him.
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The tragedy started to unfold on Tuesday morning. Campos spoke to her mom at about 8:20 a.m. native time, then was supposed to move to high school. She didn’t present up for sophistication, although, and members of the family instantly knew one thing was amiss. They searched their neighborhood however discovered no signal of her. So, they known as 911, and Houston PD officers took a lacking particular person’s report.
For the subsequent 9 hours, members of the family grew more and more fearful after they couldn’t contact Campos. Ultimately, at round 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday evening, they situated her Honda within the Meyerland neighborhood. Resident Jenna Gonzalez gave Campos’ father a bat and a towel to assist him smash the window of the automotive. Talking to ABC 13 after the actual fact, Gonzalez recalled the grisly discovery that got here after they popped the trunk:
“I popped the trunk, and there she was, simply laying there. There was no strategy to save her. There was an excessive amount of blood.”
Paramedics had been known as to the scene, however Campos was deceased upon discovery with what native information retailers reported had been indicators of trauma to her face. Police detectives had been instantly introduced in to research the dying as a murder.
Over the past a number of days, they zeroed in on Cruz. In a Houston PD press launch to Individuals and different retailers on Thursday, cops confirmed they’d arrested the 19-year-old man and charged him with murder. Much more disturbingly, they are saying he actively consoled Campos’ household AND helped with their search on Tuesday again when she was nonetheless a lacking particular person, and earlier than they knew she’d been killed:
“Additional investigation recognized a suspect as Cruz, who was on the scene together with the household of their seek for the sufferer. … He assisted with the search.”
OMG…
Relations confirmed the division’s declare, too. They instructed ABC 13 Information that Cruz was at Campos’ residence for a lot of the day on Tuesday after she disappeared. He consoled the household and assist with searching for her even after police took over the investigation. Then, when her physique was found that night, cops kicked issues into overdrive. Per Click2Houston, which cited arrest paperwork, Cruz allegedly confessed to killing Campos after he was detained and questioned by detectives.
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The motive, per Campos’ members of the family, was allegedly the truth that she’d damaged up with Cruz. A number of members of the family instructed ABC 13 Information that Cruz and Campos had been in a relationship, however had remained pals after she break up up with him. He was even on the Campos household home the weekend earlier than her dying. Campos’ aunt Bobbie Munoz instructed that outlet:
“I suppose as a result of he couldn’t have her, he didn’t need us to have her both.”
So, so unhappy.
Right here is extra on this heartbreaking state of affairs:
Now, per Individuals, Cruz stays in Harris County Jail on a $600,000 bond.
We ship our condolences to Campos’ household, pals, and family members after this unimaginable tragedy.
When you or somebody you already know is experiencing home violence, assist is accessible. Take into account calling the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or textual content START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.
[Image via Houston PD/Fox 26 News/Twitter/Houston PD/Twitter]