Arrests made after girl’s body found encased in concrete and boy’s remains in a suitcase

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Two people have been arrested on charges of murder and abuse of a corpse after the discovery of a girl’s body encased in concrete and a boy’s remains in a suitcase in Colorado, according to police and public jail records.

The City of Pueblo Police Department announced the arrest of Corena Rose Minjarez, 36, on Friday, and county jail records show the second suspect, Jesus Dominguez, 35, also was in custody as of Sunday.

Police found the girl’s remains in a metal container filled with concrete in a storage unit last month, according to authorities. The unit was being cleared out after the rent wasn’t paid. As part of the investigation, police began searching for two children last seen in the summer of 2018, Jesus Dominguez Jr. and Yesenia Dominguez.

The children hadn’t been reported missing, according to the police department’s news release.

Then the investigation led police to a vehicle owned by Minjarez in a scrap yard, where they found a boy’s remains in a suitcase in the trunk of the car, police said. By Feb. 15, DNA testing showed the remains belonged to the two missing children.

Police did not offer details on any relation between the victims and the two arrested.

Court records show both are being held on a $2 million bond, and court hearings are scheduled for Wednesday.

Available court records did not identify attorneys for Minjarez and Dominguez who could comment on their behalf.