2 in custody after children's remains found inside storage unit and suitcase in Pueblo
Two people have been arrested after children's remains were found encased in concrete in a southern Colorado storage unit and in a suitcase inside the trunk of a car at a scrapyard.
The Pueblo Police Department says it obtained an arrest warrant for Corena Rose Minjarez and Jesus Dominguez on charges of first-degree murder and abuse of corpse. Dominguez has an additional charge of theft of government benefits as well, according to the police department.
The discovery was made on Jan. 20 around 8:37 a.m., in the 600 block of West 6th Street at Kings Storage Center, across the street from the Dennis Maes Pueblo Judicial Building. Police officers arrived and said a person discovered a metal container in a storage unit and it had the hardened concrete in it. A special police unit eventually determined a child's remains were in the concrete on Jan. 22.
Police then asked for the public's help in locating two children -- Jesus Dominguez Jr. and Yesenia Dominguez -- as part of the case. The Dominguez children were last seen in the summer of 2018, according to the police department. Police initially said that they were hoping the public could help them "confirm the location and safety of these children."
On Jan. 31, Jesus Dominguez and Minjarez were interviewed as persons of interest in the case, while Jesus Dominguez was reportedly arrested on an outstanding warrant.
During the interview, it was mentioned that the children might have been in Phoenix, Arizona, while police followed up on that potential lead with no success.
In the investigation, detectives found a vehicle that belonged to Minjarez at a local scrap yard and executed a search warrant on Feb. 6.
Detectives found a suitcase in the trunk of the vehicle that had the remains of a young male child inside.
Police then received DNA confirmation that the remains inside the storage unit's concrete belonged to Yesenia and the remains found in the car's suitcase belonged to Jesus Dominguez Jr.
Minjarez was arrested shortly after the arrest warrant was issued. She is being held at the Pueblo County Detention Center on a $2 million bond. Jesus Dominguez was picked up Saturday.
Police say tips led to the arrest of Jesus Dominguez and reports he was "standing on the sidewalk eating pizza when officers approached" and took him into custody.
Jesus Dominguez is reportedly the father of the children and Minjarez is in a relationship with him.
Police says the couple was being evicted from the storage unit and gave family members permission to clear things out from it and found the metal container.
"He (Dominguez) was applying for benefits and no one could account for the kids. He was receiving assistance for the kids at the time they were missing," said Sgt. Frank Ortega.
Authorities encourage the public to contact Pueblo Police Dispatch or contact Capt. Dustin Taylor at 719-553-2544 with any information about the arrestees or the children.
