Osvaldo Fernandez-Aguilar was arrested in Cancun, Mexico and is now back in Houston to face a capital murder charge. The accused man's arrest is uncovering more disturbing details about that brutal murder and other crimes. Police say the man told them he's addicted to crack cocaine.
It's taken nearly two weeks for police to track down Osvaldo Fernandez-Aguilar. Investigators say the 23-year-old former security guard at Eclipse gentleman's club fled to Mexico after seeing surveillance images of himself on Houston area news, and was about to board a boat to Cuba when Mexican law enforcement helped arrest him for the murder of Maria Lucrecia. The 27-year-old pregnant mother was a cleaning lady at Eclipse gentleman's club.
Investigators say Lucrecia was working when Fernandez-Aguilar made his way into the club, strangled and beat her to death, then emptied the club's cash registers of about $1,000.
Surveillance video from businesses near the club generated Crime Stoppers tips that helped police identify Fernandez-Aguilar, who's now charged with capital murder. Earlier this week, Eclipse managers told Eyewitness News he was fired after numerous complaints over his fighting and arguing with customers.
"According to him, he's got a crack cocaine habit, and that he knew there was money there in the club," said HPD Officer Robert Bolton. "He didn't know Maria Lucrecia was going to be there. They have two cleaning people at that club. He thought it was the male cleaning person. When he knocked on the door, he grabbed her by the arm, led her into that pathway and that's here he brutally murdered her right there."
Police say Fernandez-Aguilar told them the victim pleaded for her life during the killing. It was Maria's husband and her young son who found her body in the club's lobby when they went to check on her.
Her family told Eyewitness News her body has been returned to Guatemala to be buried. Maria's husband and grieving family are now speaking about the man's arrest, saying Fernandez-Aguilar has no heart, nor God's forgiveness.
Her brother Juan Pacheco said, "I miss my sister. We miss her, everybody. My dad and my mom right now in Guatemala, they are crying."
Police believe Fernandez-Aguilar may also be responsible for two other armed robberies of women in that area.
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