Missing Mother's Body ID'd, Family Given Some Peace
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The identification of Marisol Espinosa's remains by the Dallas Medical Examiner has given her family some peace.
"It's bittersweet. We waited so long to have her back… not in the way we would have preferred it but it is closure," said Espinosa's cousin, Wendy Lopez.
After two months, Espinosa's missing persons case is now a murder investigation.
Wearing t-shirts imprinted with their mother's face‚ Espinosa's daughters spoke, their voices just barely above a whisper, at Dallas Police headquarters Tuesday night.
"I love my mom," said Espinosa's youngest daughter.
The family said dental records helped positively identify Espinosa's body.
Animal activists searching for dumped dogs Sunday along Dowdy Ferry Road found her body lying under a bridge. The family said their focus has shifted to finding justice.
"Making sure whoever did it pays," said Lopez.
Espinosa's ex-boyfriend, Faustino Valdez, was the last person to report seeing her, but he has since disappeared‚ raising Espinosa's family's anger and suspicion.
"For me, it's never going to be over. We have babies to take care of," said Lopez, adding that nothing can make up for their loss.
"It's nothing compared to their mother's love, to my cousin's love for them."
Police are still waiting on the medical examiner to determine how Espinosa was murdered. They have not named Valdez or anyone else a suspect in this case.
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