Bodies found in truck linked to ‘mass murder’ and arson in North Carolina, police say
Three bodies were found in Virginia and officials say they are connected to a North Carolina arson and murder case, media outlets report.
Hunters found the three bodies, which were badly burned, in the bed of a truck in a “very remote area” near a school in Grayson County on Monday morning, according to WSLS.
Police believe the bodies are linked to an arson case that happened in Alexander County, WBTV reported.
Officials have been investigating the incident since June after ruling the house fire in Taylorsville was set intentionally, The News & Observer reported.
“I would call it a mass murder,” Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman told WBTV.
Two bodies were found inside the burned home, and it was later determined they were 11-year-old Angel E. Pacheco and his sister 13-year-old America D. Pacheco, WBTV reported.
One of the bodies found Monday is believed to be Maria Calderon Martinez, the children’s mother who deputies had been searching for since June 15, according to WSOC.
The other two are believed to be Juan Carlos Mendez-Pena and Luis Fernando Sanchez, friends of Martinez who had also been missing since the incident but weren’t suspects, the Hickory Daily Record reported.
The bodies were found in a 2009 dark blue 4-door Chevrolet Silverado, WSOC reported, which matches the description of the truck reported missing after the bodies were found in the home.
Areli Aguirre-Avilez, 30, and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Heidi Darlene Wolfe, were charged with the murder of Martinez and her children, according to the Hickory Daily Record.
Aguirre-Avilez is being held without bond, records show.
Alexander County is about 65 northwest of Charlotte and Grayson County is near the state line.
This story was originally published November 4, 2019 at 6:34 PM.
