On September 6, 2022, 37-year-old Karla Aguilera from Tome, New Mexico, was reported missing by her family members, marking the beginning of a tragic and intricate investigation. The last time Karla was seen was by her daughters on September 4. Her youngest daughter woke up to find herself alone at home the next morning and attempted to contact her mother 12 hours later.
During this call, Karla's husband, 50-year-old Rosalio Aguilera-Gamboa, also known as Lorenzo, answered the phone and claimed that he and Karla were together at a hotel in Albuquerque. However, when Karla did not return home two days later, her older daughters reported her missing, prompting the Valencia County Sheriff's Office to initiate an investigation.
The investigation quickly took a suspicious turn, involving the Criminal Investigation Division of the Valencia County Sheriff's Office. Detectives discovered that Lorenzo had called in sick to work on September 6 and failed to show up the following day. This, combined with other evidence, suggested that Lorenzo was directly involved in Karla's disappearance. Cell phone data played a crucial role in the investigation, placing Lorenzo at the scene of the crime in the early morning hours of September 5, and later in Garden City, Kansas, which would become his last known location.
On September 14, 2022, Torrance County officials found a body near the Mountainair and Highway 60 area. An autopsy confirmed that the body was indeed Karla Aguilera, and it was determined that she had been shot four times. This grim discovery solidified the suspicion against Lorenzo, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant for him on charges of first-degree murder, child abuse, and tampering with evidence.
Lorenzo Aguilera-Gamboa was eventually located in Garden City, Kansas, approximately 440 miles away from the scene of the crime. On Saturday, September 17, 2022, he was arrested along with his cousin, 49-year-old Maria Guadalupe Nevarez-Aguilera. The arrest was facilitated by the Garden City Police Department, with assistance from the Garden City/Finney County SWAT team due to Lorenzo's violent tendencies. Both individuals were taken into custody without incident.
Lorenzo Aguilera-Gamboa is currently being held in the Finney County Jail in Kansas on an active out-of-state felony warrant for homicide, abuse of a child, and tampering with evidence. His cousin, Maria Guadalupe Nevarez-Aguilera, is being held on charges of accessory to homicide and harboring or aiding a felon. Both are being held without bond and are expected to be extradited to New Mexico as the investigation continues.
The investigation has revealed a complex web of events and evidence pointing to Lorenzo's involvement in Karla's murder. The use of cell phone data, witness statements, and the discovery of Karla's body have all contributed to the strong case against him. As the case unfolds, further details are expected to be released by the Valencia County Sheriff's Office, shedding more light on the circumstances surrounding Karla Aguilera's tragic death.
