Missing for months, woman found dead in Texas. Suspects arrested hundreds of miles away.
The body of a missing Washington resident was recently recovered in Texas and two suspects are in jail.
It's a case that has stretched across the U.S. with the suspects arrested in Florida and one more suspect at large after his car was found in New York.
The victim, Marisela Botello, 23, had traveled from her home in Seattle to Dallas, where she was visiting an ex-boyfriend, according to family.
On Oct. 5, Botello took a Lyft to the city’s Deep Ellum neighborhood. Security camera footage appears to show her leaving Select Start arcade and bar with a man around 1:15 a.m. She was never seen alive again, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Botello later missed her flight back home and there was no activity on her cell phone, bank accounts or social media after her night out, according to the outlet.
In late October, authorities identified Charles Beltran as a person of interest in the case and said neither he nor his 2014 Audi A6 had been seen since the date Botello vanished.
On March 24, Botello’s body was found in a wooded area in Wilmer, Texas, a small town about 15 miles from downtown Dallas.
- A Woman Was Found Dead And Wrapped In A Tarp. Police Say They Arrested The Suspect Killer.
- A woman was last seen leaving her birthday celebration. Police say they arrested the man who raped and murdered her.
- Texas Woman Reported Missing Found Dead 10 Days Later; Suspect Arrested on Murder Charges, Police Confirm
The following day, authorities took Nina Tamar Marano, 49, into custody in Miami, Florida, followed two days later by Lisa Jo Dykes, 57, in Orange County, Florida. Online records show they are both being held on fugitive warrants.
According to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News, cell phone records show Beltran — the person of interest — Marano and Dykes were with the victim at a home the two now-arrested women shared in Mesquite, Texas.
Detectives searching the pair’s house allegedly found brown and red streaks underneath a carpet that had been cleaned. According to the affidavit, samples taken of the substance matched Botello’s DNA.
Police also said phone records indicate Marano and Dykes left their home and traveled to a wooded area around the time they allegedly were with the victim.
Shortly after Botello disappeared, police said, Marano, Dykes and Beltran all quit their jobs and moved out of the area.
Beltran is still at large. In December, his vehicle was found in New York.
Become a Front Page Detective
Sign up to receive breaking
Front Page Detectives
news and exclusive investigations.