Family Friend Jose Sifuentes Charged with Murder of Jasmen Gonzalez

Breaking News Fox 4 News Noon Broadcast: The murderer is "in the country illegally" and has previously been deported.

Updated: Tuesday, 01 Nov 2011, 12:00 PM CDT


By Alice Wolke | MYFOXDFW.COM

CARROLLTON, Texas - Carrollton police on Tuesday charged a family friend with the murder of 10-year-old Jasmen Gonzalez, whose body was found Sunday afternoon.

Police moved 23-year-old Jose Concepcion Sifuentes to Lew Sterrett Justice Center in downtown Dallas on Tuesday morning.

During a news conference at police headquarters Tuesday morning, Lt. Doug Mitchell was asked why Sifuentes was facing a murder charge and not a capital murder charge.

"The evidence we have against him will support a murder charge," Lt. Mitchell said. "Any time a 10-year-old child is murdered, it's heinous. I don't know any other way to describe it."

After searching his apartment and vehicle, detectives found incriminating evidence linking Sifuentes to the crime.

According to a search warrant affidavit, police retrieved a knife with a black handle, yellow rubber gloves, hair, half of a golden charm, and samples of suspected human blood.

Tests are still being conducted on the items recovered.

Sifuentes was being held on an immigration charge prior to the murder charge. "It's my understanding he was deported before [this case]," Lt. Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the suspect has a young child of his own, living with his common-law wife in Carrollton.

Jasmen and her parents were visiting North Texas from Oklahoma City. About a dozen people, including Sifuentes, attended a party Saturday at the apartment on Walnut Street where the family was staying. Mitchell confirmed there was alcohol at the party, but could not verify if the suspect had been drinking.

Jasmen was reported missing just before midnight. Several attendees remembered Sifuentes also disappeared for short amount of time during the evening.

Jasmen's body was discovered Sunday afternoon only a few blocks away. The medical examiner determined she died of a stab wound to her chest, and according to a police report there was evidence that she had been sexually assaulted.

Monday night, friends and neighbors in the Carrollton area held a candlelight vigil in memory of the girl.

Others who knew Sifuentes were shocked and stunned that he may be linked to the crime.

"I just want to say that he is a nice person," said one woman who did not want to be identified. "I see him a couple of times and I never think he is a bad person."


Read more on myFOXdfw.com: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/110111 ... z1cTTdVJ4x