A Texas teen who was the subject of an AMBER Alert last week has been located and is facing murder charges along with the man initially believed to have abducted her, who remains at large, authorities said.
Natalie Navarro, 17, is expected to be charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Arturo Pena, the Garland Police Department (GPD) said Friday.
Navarro was initially the subject of an AMBER Alert issued by the Dallas Police Department early Friday when she was reported missing from an apartment complex in Far East Dallas, KXAS reported.
She was found safe in Webb County an hour later, the outlet said.
Navarro is now in police custody, though she has not been formally charged, Lt. Richard Maldonado told The Post Sunday afternoon. The teen is being considered an adult for charging purposes, he added
Yordy Martinez, 21, who was initially tied to Navarro’s possible abduction, “is still at large and wanted for murder,” the authorities noted.
As of Sunday, Moldonado told The Post, his whereabouts are still unknown. He is considered armed and dangerous, KXAS said.
Natalie Navarro, 17, is a suspect in the murder of Arturo Pena, cops said. Texas Department of Public SafetyPena, of Mesquite, was found dead from a gunshot wound in a vehicle in Audubon Park on Tuesday morning, cops said.
The victim had been reported missing to the Dallas Police Department just two days earlier, the authorities explained.
“We’re trying to figure out exactly how they knew each other,” Lt. Richard Maldonado of the GPD told FOX4 of Pena’s possible connection to Martinez and Navarro.
“We’ve yet to totally determine [the motive],” he added.
Yordy Martinez, 21, remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Texas Department of Public Safety“We hope to get more when we talk to Natalie to see exactly what was going on if these persons knew each other, if they had a relationship, if there was a falling out.”
Based on Navarro’s AMBER Alert, police think Martinez may be traveling in a gray, four-door vehicle, the outlet said.
He is also missing a front tooth.
Arturo Pena was found dead in a vehicle on August 29. Family handoutMartinez has a criminal history including a felony indictment for allegedly shooting a gun in a house last year, according to FOX4.
Pena’s family reportedly fears that he may have already absconded to Mexico.
As of Sunday morning, a GoFundMe in Pena’s memory started by his wife, Veronica Lopez, had raised over $2,600 of its $25,000 goal.
