Phoenix man arrested for county murder


Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:25 AM MST


The body of a woman found along Highway 80 outside of St. David last week has led to the arrest of a Phoenix man who is being charged with first degree murder.


According to Carol Capas of the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Feb. 8 the CCSO was advised of a dead body located in some brush at mile post 308 on Highway 80.

Capas said upon arrival deputies discovered the body of a Hispanic female who appeared to have been dragged a short distance from the side of the roadway to a brush area approximately 100 yards away.

The Cochise County Medical Examiner completed the autopsy this past week on the woman, now identified as Maria Ramirez Orosco, 33, from the Mexico City area of Mexico and determined the manner of death was a homicide.

Capas said On Thursday February 18, Sheriff’s Detectives made contact with Juan Pedro Leon, 42, of Phoenix who came to Cochise County for an interview regarding this matter.

“During the interview Leon advised that he was the husband of … Orosco and they had been married for the past twelve years,” Capas said. “Leon advised that he had reported Orosco missing to the Phoenix Police Department on February 4 … after she did not go to work or come home on that date.”

During the interview, Capas said Leon advised detectives that he had been arguing with his wife over a domestic matter as he drove her south on Interstate 10 from their home in Phoenix on the night of February 3.

Leon reportedly advised the detectives that as they got onto Highway 80 the argument escalated and he pulled to the side of the roadway before pulling her out of the passenger side of the car. A struggle ensued between the man and wife which led to Orosco being in a choke hold and after a short while she stopped breathing.

Capas said Mr. Leon, a permanent resident alien, was arrested and booked into the Cochise County Jail on a charge of first degree murder where he remains on a $2 million cash bond.

 

Copyright © 2012 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    Question wrote on Feb 24, 2010 8:57 PM:

    " Correction *their "

    Question wrote on Feb 24, 2010 11:18 AM:

    " What does his residency status have to do with the story? Do U.S. Citizens not kill their wives or what? I never knew that O.J Simpson or Scott Peterson were not U.S. Citizens but then again they residency status was never an issue. MURDER IS MURDER! "

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