Thread: AL - Homewood police charge a 29-year-old woman in the brutal slayings of a mother an

Homewood police charge a 29-year-old woman in the brutal slayings of a mother and her young sons

on December 18, 2012 at 4:08 PM, updated December 18, 2012 at 5:55 PM
By Carol Robinson
al.com


Anna Patricia Dominguez, 29, is charged with four counts of capital murder in the slaying of a Homewood mother and her two sons.

HOMEWOOD, Alabama - A 29-year-old illegal immigrant brutally murdered a Homewood woman and her two young sons during a robbery at the family's Homewood apartment, authorities said today.

Anna Patricia Dominguez is charged with four counts of capital murder: one count of murder during the commission of a robbery, two counts of killing a child under the age of 12 and one count of causing the death of two or more people, Homewood Police Chief Jim Roberson said today. Dominguez is awaiting transfer to the Jefferson County Jail where she will be held without bond.

Dominguez, who lives in Birmingham, was arrested at her apartment Sunday night. She is charged in the deaths of Araceli Juarez-Montero, 30, and her sons, Hugo Adial Juarez, 4, and Uziel David Juarez, 5. All were found slain inside their Abbey at Boulder Ridge apartment at noon Friday. Sources told Al.com Juarez-Montero was beaten, and her boys strangled.

"Trust me, it was brutal. Even seasoned police officers were shocked by this,'' the police chief said. "I don't know a kind way to kill a 4-year-old, or a 5-year-old. All three victims were innocent and I think that's the part that disturbs me."

The bodies were discovered Friday after Homewood police received a 911 call just before noon Friday from a Hispanic male, later identified as Hugo Juarez, that he had come home from work and found his wife and two young sons dead. A third brother was at school when the murders happened and wasn't harmed.

Juarez was taken into protective custody and incarcerated until his Monday release, even though authorities said from the start that he was not a suspect in the triple slaying.

Roberson released few details about the slaying. He said Dominguez did take a number of items "of value" from the apartment, but declined to identify what was stolen. "I won't get into the details but obviously it was of significant value,'' he said.

Dominguez, he said, was acquainted with members of the victims' family, but wouldn't elaborate. He said drug's weren't involved. He would not comment on whether the husband and suspect knew each other, and said the investigation is ongoing.

"This has been a very long and tedious process for the Homewood the Homewood police since 11:55 a.m. Friday,'' Roberson said. "I couldn't tell you how many hundreds of hours of total investigation has gone into this. There has never been a triple homicide...here in Homewood, so it was tragic, it was brutal and it quickly outstripped resources that we had."

Among the agencies that assisted Homewood police in the investigation included the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, Alabama Electronics Crime Task Force, Hoover police, the Jefferson County sheriff's office and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. "I'm not sure without them we would be standing here today announcing this news,'' he said.

Roberson said the victims lived in Homewood for three months or less. The husband worked in the construction industry, while Juarez- Montero worked from home and cared for the children. "He is doing well,'' Roberson said of Juarez. "I think he was looking forward to being released and being with his son." The chief said many of the family's relatives have traveled to Birmingham to support the surviving family members.

Roberson said authorities will not seek to deport Dominguez. "We will try her here,'' the chief emphasized.

To the Juarez family, the chief had this to say, "Our hearts, our prayers continue to go out to them. While nothing I could say or do could replace the loss of their loved one, it is my hope this arrest here today will help bring some closure to the family and we do hope that God may continue to comfort them during this loss.

Homewood Mayor Scott McBrayer said, "This is certainly out of the normal for our city. The odds of us even having one death like this just hardly ever happens. So when we have three at once, it's quite a task."

"I think we've probably all seen in the last week just how quickly something can happen in any community, even the best of communities,'' the mayor said. "When people make a decision to do something, no matter what kind of safeguards you have in place, if they decide they're going to carry it out, traditionally it happens."

Homewood police charge a 29-year-old woman in the brutal slayings of a mother and her young sons | al.com

Illegal immigrant charged in deaths of Homewood woman, 2 children to be appointed defense attorney

By Kent Faulk
on December 21, 2012 at 4:11 PM, updated December 21, 2012 at 4:13 PM
al.com

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Teresa Pulliam this afternoon told an illegal immigrant charged in the deaths of a Homewood mother and her two children that she will appoint her a defense attorney.

Shackled at her ankles and wrists and wearing a green striped Jefferson County Jail uniform, Ana Patricia Dominguez, 29, had her first court hearing since being charged this week with capital murder in the slayings of the mother and two children. A Spanish interpreter helped explain to Dominguez what the judge was saying.

During the brief hearing Pulliam explained to Domiguez the charges she faces and that she is being held without bond.

When asked by the judge , Dominguez told the judge that she can't afford an attorney and that she did not have family around who could help her.

Pulliam told Dominquez that she had already been in contact with an attorney who she may appoint to defend her. The judge said hoped to hear today or Monday whether that attorney, along with co-counsel, can take the case.

Pulliam declined to name the attorney she has asked to defend Dominguez.

Dominguez is charged in the deaths of Araceli Juarez-Montero, 30, and her sons, Hugo Adial Juarez, 4, and Uziel David Juarez, 5. All were found slain inside their Abbey at Boulder Ridge apartment on Dec. 14. Sources told Al.com Juarez-Montero was beaten, and her boys strangled.

Dominguez is charged with four counts of capital murder: one count of murder during the commission of a robbery, two counts of killing a child under the age of 12 and one count of causing the death of two or more people.

Illegal immigrant charged in deaths of Homewood woman, 2 children to be appointed defense attorney | al.com