Posted on Fri, Jul. 11, 2008

Man held in slaying, wanted in Mexico

By RICK BRUNDRETT - rbrundrett@thestate.com

A man charged with killing his girlfriend in Kershaw County also is wanted in connection with a homicide in Mexico, Kershaw County deputies said.

Juan Carlos Cruz-Estrada, 38, of Charlotte, initially denied any involvement in the disappearance of Ada Torruco, 33, also of Charlotte, who was reportedly last seen May 27, Sheriff’s Capt. David Thomley said.

Torruco’s remains were found Wednesday in a wooded area off S.C. 97 in Lancaster County, though investigators believe she was killed off Kelly Road — a dirt road near S.C. 97 — in the Liberty Hill section of Kershaw County near the Lancaster County line and Lake Wateree, Thomley said.

Cruz-Estrada and a co-defendant, Javier Aguilar Rosas, 29, of Charlotte, are each charged with murder and remain in the Kershaw County jail, Thomley said.

Both men are Mexican nationals and are in the U.S. illegally, said Barbara Gonzalez, the Southern regional U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman. The nationality of Torruco is unknown, and immigration officials had no prior contact with her, she said.

While investigating Torruco’s disappearance, which was reported June 10 by relatives, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police learned that Cruz-Estrada was wanted in connection with a homicide of a female in Mexico, Thomley said.

Neither Thomley, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police nor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials could provide details Thursday about the Mexico case.

After federal authorities took custody of Cruz-Estrada and were about to fly him from Atlanta to Mexico, he confessed to killing his girlfriend in Kershaw County and also implicated Rosas, Thomley said.

Rosas took authorities to the Lancaster County site where Torruco’s remains were found and also confessed to the slaying, Thomley said.

Torruco was stabbed multiple times, Thomley said. An autopsy is being performed in Newberry County, he said.

Cruz-Estrada will be tried in Kershaw County before he faces charges in the Mexico case, Thomley said.

Reach Brundrett at (803) 771-8484.

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/458060.html