On September 5, 2021, law enforcement officials in Elkhart, Indiana, responded to a residence located in the 500 block of West Blaine Avenue after receiving a request to perform a welfare check. Upon entering the home, officers discovered the body of 49-year-old Cristina Pina Aguilar. The Hispanic female was found deceased under suspicious circumstances, prompting the Elkhart County Homicide Unit to launch an immediate investigation into the cause of her death.
Subsequent medical
examination and an autopsy determined that the victim had died from gunshot wounds, ruling the case a homicide. Investigators worked to piece together the events leading up to the shooting, conducting interviews and examining evidence collected from the scene. The inquiry quickly focused on individuals close to the victim, specifically examining domestic relationships within the household.
Days after the discovery, the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office announced a significant development in the case. On September 10, 2021, authorities obtained and served an arrest warrant for the victim's husband, 45-year-old Arnulfo Alanis Perez. Investigators established probable cause to charge him in connection with the fatal shooting. While the investigation remained open following the arrest, reports at the time identified Perez as the sole suspect in the death of his wife.
