Man arrested after construction worker found dead in newly built home, Texas cops say
.png "A construction worker was found dead inside a newly built house in a new housing development in La Marque, Texas. Police say she was a victim of assault.")
UPDATE, Feb. 5: A 34-year-old Houston man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a construction worker found dead inside a newly constructed home in La Marque, Texas, according to police.
A property manager discovered the 57-year-old woman, later identified as Maria Rios, on Jan. 31 and La Marque police launched an investigation, determining that she was a victim of assault.
Investigators uncovered “discarded evidence” in a dumpster in Houston, which led police to the suspect, Carlos Heriberto Lara- Balcazar, La Marque police said in a Feb. 2 release. U.S. Marshals arrested Lara-Balcazar at a Houston apartment complex.
“At this time, Carlos Lara-Balcazar is the suspect in the murder of Maria Rios. It is believed that the suspect, Lara-Balcazar knew the victim, and the incident was not ‘random,’” La Marque police said.
The original story continues below:
A construction worker found dead inside of a newly constructed house in southeast Texas was a victim of assault, according to police.
The woman’s body was discovered around 5 p.m. on Jan. 31 inside a home in a new housing development in La Marque, the police department said in a news release.
A property manager found the woman and called 911, The Daily News reported. The house, like most of the neighborhood, was otherwise empty.
The woman was assaulted, police said, and her death is being investigated as a homicide.
She worked in construction and was in the area for her job, police told TV station KTRK.
“At this time, the investigation is active and developing. No suspect information is available for public release,” police said.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact La Marque police at 409-938-9251.
La Marque is 38 miles southeast of downtown Houston.
This story was originally published February 1, 2023 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Man arrested after construction worker found dead in newly built home, Texas cops say."