MISSION, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A probable cause affidavit provided new details in the death of a missing Mission woman.
Reynaldo Mercado, 33, and Kristian Valenzuela, 24, were arrested two weeks ago on charges of murder and tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, according to Hidalgo County Jail records.
The two were arrested in connection to the death of Editza Gomez, whose body was found hidden in Mercado’s attic.
A probable cause affidavit stated several tips and statements suggested that Gomez had not left the residence, located at the 1000 block of Miller Street in Mission.
“An aerial surveillance of the residence was conducted which shows a lot of ground disturbance and digging,” the affidavit stated.
Police received tips that Mercado had access to chained-up doors to sheds and compartments on the property.
Authorities secured a search warrant, and on Aug. 31, cadaver canines provided by the U.S. Border Patrol located a nonresponsive body in a concealed compartment between the attic wall of the living room and the wall of the kitchen.
While conducting the search warrant, Valenzuela voluntarily went to the Mission Police Department, where he told investigators he saw Mercado and Gomez fighting on Aug. 19.
Valenzuela said he went to take a shower and quickly came out after he heard a single gunshot. He then heard two more, the affidavit stated.
The document states that Valenzuela told police he saw Gomez dying in the kitchen, and that Mercado threatened him with a handgun and shotgun to help him conceal Gomez’s body by wrapping her in several layers of trash bags and putting her in the concealed compartment.
Valenzuela then told investigators he saw Mercado cleaning the home to get rid of evidence, including burning the DVR and cleaning products in a BBQ pit in the garage area.
In an update, police said Gomez was shot in the head.
Mercado and Valenzuela remain jailed on $3.5 million bonds.
