Man accused dumping woman's body in SW Houston field now behind bars

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Prosecutors say a Houston man claims he dumped a young woman's body after a night of partying and sex.

Samuel Martin Vasquez-Lopez, 26, was arrested Sunday and is charged with tampering with evidence. Investigators say he ditched the body of 19-year-old Lidia Batz Vasquez Friday in the 6300 block of Fairdale. The corpse was discovered by a passerby, surrounded by trash, face down in the bushes near a dirt walking path.

While police wouldn't reveal much about Vasquez's death, prosecutors in court said Samuel Vasquez-Lopez knew her from work and that they went out Friday for drinks. According to testimony, they bought a bottle of Venado, a Guatemelan rum, finished it and had sex in his car. He allegedly told police they passed out and that when he woke up, she was dead.

According to court documents, Vasquez-Lopez called a friend to help him dump the body. He said he was scared so he didn't call police and only later, out of guilt, did he come forward, telling Batz Vasquez's father.

"Always is happy. Always smiling," said her father, who added that's how he will remember his oldest daughter.

He asked us not to identify him out of fear that someone might come after him. He wants justice and calls for the punishment for whoever is responsible.

It still a mystery as to how the 19-year-old died. Police say there were no signs of trauma on the body. Autopsy results are not yet available yet, nor are the results of toxicology tests.

Lidia's family is hoping to send her body back to Guatemala for burial. Friends and family supporting that effort are gathering donations through a gofundme page which you can find here: https://www.gofundme.com/lidiathelight

Samuel Vasquez-Lopez remains in jail with bond set at $35,000.