SALT LAKE CITY, UT- Nestor Rocha-Aguayo, 24, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was arrested on charges that he murdered his girlfriend Talia Benward, 31, and dumped her body in Toole, Utah just outside of Salt Lake City barely a week after being deported from the United States for the second time.
According to The New York Post, authorities said that surveillance footage showed Rocha-Aguayo and Benward arguing in a car prior to her body being discovered. The outlet noted that the suspect has a history of drug-related and domestic violence arrests and was deported back to Mexico twice, most recently on Christmas Eve on drug-related charges.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told The Post that Rocha-Aguayo “reentered the US a third time without admission by an immigration official.”
Local Fox affiliate KSTU, reported that police were informed that Benward was missing because she borrowed a vehicle on New Year's Day but did not return it and was reported missing from work for two days. Authorities added in the arrest report that the two were known to be dating but "had several domestic violence incidents."
Per the Post, a cellphone belonging to Benward ceased communicating with the network after a few hours in an area off the interstate, while the suspect continued toward Salt Lake City.
Upon locating the borrowed vehicle police found evidence of a struggle: human blood on the passenger door, rear passenger seat, and the floor. A floor mat from the vehicle was missing and the strong odor of gasoline was present in the trunk.
Triangulating the last location of Benward’s phone on Saturday, officers were able to find a burn pit that contained the remains of a partially burned floor mat matching the vehicle. Not far from there police K9 units located the body of a deceased woman, later identified as Benward, beneath piled brush and “strategically stacked sticks.”
The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake announced that Rocha-Aguayo had boarded a bus bound for Mexico and police were able to locate and arrest him in Fillmore, UT.
Rocha-Aguayo was placed under arrest on a milieu of charges including but not limited to aggravated murder, abuse, or desecration of a dead human being, and aggravated robbery. He is currently being held in Salt Lake County Metro Jail and has been placed under an ICE detainer the authorities said.
According to The New York Post, authorities said that surveillance footage showed Rocha-Aguayo and Benward arguing in a car prior to her body being discovered. The outlet noted that the suspect has a history of drug-related and domestic violence arrests and was deported back to Mexico twice, most recently on Christmas Eve on drug-related charges.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told The Post that Rocha-Aguayo “reentered the US a third time without admission by an immigration official.”
Local Fox affiliate KSTU, reported that police were informed that Benward was missing because she borrowed a vehicle on New Year's Day but did not return it and was reported missing from work for two days. Authorities added in the arrest report that the two were known to be dating but "had several domestic violence incidents."
Court documents showed that surveillance footage from a Maverick fuel station depicted the couple “pointing at each other … as if they were arguing,” before they are seen driving away in the direction of Toole.UPDATE: Suspect in murder of Kearns woman arrested on bus heading to Mexico https://t.co/mFK5d7hn77
— FOX 13 News Utah (@fox13) January 6, 2025
Per the Post, a cellphone belonging to Benward ceased communicating with the network after a few hours in an area off the interstate, while the suspect continued toward Salt Lake City.
Upon locating the borrowed vehicle police found evidence of a struggle: human blood on the passenger door, rear passenger seat, and the floor. A floor mat from the vehicle was missing and the strong odor of gasoline was present in the trunk.
Triangulating the last location of Benward’s phone on Saturday, officers were able to find a burn pit that contained the remains of a partially burned floor mat matching the vehicle. Not far from there police K9 units located the body of a deceased woman, later identified as Benward, beneath piled brush and “strategically stacked sticks.”
The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake announced that Rocha-Aguayo had boarded a bus bound for Mexico and police were able to locate and arrest him in Fillmore, UT.
Rocha-Aguayo was placed under arrest on a milieu of charges including but not limited to aggravated murder, abuse, or desecration of a dead human being, and aggravated robbery. He is currently being held in Salt Lake County Metro Jail and has been placed under an ICE detainer the authorities said.
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments