Affidavit: Man suspected of killing girlfriend had tracked her prior to murder
TRAVIS COUNTY (KXAN) — Law enforcement officials are still searching for a man in connection to the suspected murder of a Pflugerville woman, who was at the center of a CLEAR Alert last month.
An arrest warrant for Luis Montes, 35, said authorities believed he murdered his girlfriend Camerina Trujillo Perez, 38. He was listed in the CLEAR Alert in connection with her disappearance. It went out Jan. 26 — one day after his family reported him missing to police. During their investigation, police also learned Perez's coworkers had come looking for her when she didn't show up to work Jan. 25.
The arrest affidavit listed the events investigators had uncovered leading up to Perez's disappearance. Investigators believed Montes had been tracking Perez's vehicles for months before, according to court documents. A witness told police he saw the suspect put a GPS tracker on her car, the affidavit said.
On Jan. 24, the affidavit says that Montes saw Perez at an area supermarket with another person, where a witness said she had hugged and kissed the other person. The witness told police at the time Montes looked sad and upset after seeing that, but "did not appear angry and did not make any threats towards" the two, the affidavit said.
Montes called her repeatedly after the incident and met with Perez at a bank parking lot in Pflugerville, police said, pointing to cell phone records and surveillance video. That's when the affidavit said Montes "repeatedly assaulted" Perez "to the point that caused her death." A significant amount of blood was seen pooling between the two vehicles on surveillance camera footage from the bank.
The arrest affidavit said Montes then drove Perez's car from the scene, "with her lifeless body still in the vehicle." Police believe Montes drove to Lake Pflugerville to dispose of or conceal evidence of the murder. The pool of blood was found by an employee in the parking lot of the assault the next day, the affidavit said. Crime scene investigators said the amount lost was substantial and could cause serious bodily injury or death, the affidavit said.
“This is a horrible outcome, and my heart goes out to Camerina’s friends and family. We are doing everything we can to find Luis Montes and bring justice to her loved ones,” TCSO Sheriff Sally Hernandez said in a previous release.
Law enforcement is still searching for Montes. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Travis County Sheriff's Office.