Florida man wanted in murder of 74-year-old aunt who adopted him arrested in Harris County
Florida detectives say Aroldo Paz ultimately admitted to beating his 74-year-old aunt Perfecta Paz
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 39-year-old fugitive accused of killing the aunt who adopted him was captured by U.S. Marshals Monday in Harris County.
Aroldo Paz is expected in court Tuesday morning.
Paz is accused of killing his 74-year-old aunt Perfecta Paz, who adopted him when he was a baby.
Authorities say Paz was living with Perfecta and another aunt because he was rehabbing from a construction accident.
Paz allegedly killed Perfecta and buried her in the backyard after the two had an argument on Tuesday, Oct. 12. A different relative reported to detectives that on that same day, she'd spoken to the victim, who said she wanted to move out because she and Paz were not getting along and were always fighting.
Perfecta's sister reported her missing, telling officials that she hadn't seen the victim since 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 12.
When Perfecta's sister returned home that afternoon, she saw Paz in the yard. He allegedly told the woman that the victim had left.
When the sister returned from work on Oct. 13, she saw that Paz, his car and belongings were gone.
Authorities believed he'd be headed to Texas because of a previous history here.
The sister also continued to call Perfecta, but would get no answer.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida says Perfecta usually kept some cash in her home and that was also missing.
While checking the area around the home, detectives found some freshly disturbed soil and Perfecta's body.
"Aroldo violently murdered the lady that adopted him so many years before, and buried her in a shallow grave. She was about a foot and a half under the earth, and he fled with all of his clothes and belongings," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Now a week after Perfecta was killed, authorities have arrested Paz.
He was wanted for first degree murder, grand theft and tampering with evidence.
The sheriff's office received a tip through Heartland Crime Stoppers in Florida that Paz may be in the Houston area, and U.S. Marshals took him into custody.
Detectives who flew from Florida to Texas to interview Paz say that he gave them inconsistent statements before admitting that he beat his aunt to death.
Paz is in custody in the Harris County Jail with no bond until he can be extradited back to Polk County.
