Texas woman, 48, who shot dead husband while her two children slept nearby arrested after 7 years on the run
DALLAS, TEXAS: A mother-of-two who allegedly killed her husband in 2013 has been charged with murder after being at large for seven years. Maria Leonor Montalvo was arrested in May at the US-Mexico border as she attempted to enter San Diego from Mexico. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said Maria was extradited to Dallas County on Thursday, June 19, and is currently in custody at the Dallas County Jail. "Criminals will never get away with heinous crimes like this in Dallas County. My office, and our partners in law enforcement, will track them down to face prosecution,” John Creuzot, Dallas County Criminal District Attorney, said.
The 48-year-old woman’s crime reportedly dates back seven years ago. In April 2013, she allegedly murdered her husband and father of his two sons, 43-year-old Simon Montalvo, at their home in DeSoto while the children slept upstairs. Maria allegedly shot Simon at least six times, including twice in the back of his head, the district attorney’s office said as reported by PEOPLE. Simon’s body was reportedly found in the couple’s backyard buried under heavy bricks and stones.
DeSoto Police Chief Joe Costa said in a statement: “Our agency has never stopped looking for Montalvo and now that she is in jail where she belongs, we can pursue justice for the victim and his family.”
According to reports, on April 29, 2013, the victim’s brother filed a missing person report. He told officials at the time that he last saw Simon on April 21 at the Whataburger Restaurant with his son, as per an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The victim’s brother again approached police on May 4 that year and told them he found a dead body outside the back door of the couple’s house. The affidavit stated that Simon’s brother visited the couple’s house to install a camera during which he went to the back yard, where he “could smell a strong odor”. He also reportedly found a pile of rocks by the backyard fence. “He observed black bags in the shape of a body and that he touched the bag and felt a human hand,” the affidavit added.
Detectives investigating the case also learned that the children of the couple were staying with other family members in Indiana after the incident. During the investigation, the eldest son of the pair told detectives that his mother-father had an argument a week earlier. The child said he heard three “claps” that woke him up, and when he asked Maria about the sound, she told him a cabinet had turned over, the affidavit said. “He never saw Dad that morning or since,” the affidavit stated.
The official documents also stated that three bullet holes in the master bedroom were found by the officials as well as “evidence of large amounts of blood” in the master bedroom and hallway areas. Meanwhile, it has been said that Maria’s attorney could not be reached for comment. Also, it was not clear if the 48-year-old accused has entered a plea.