The body of a Valencia County woman who has been missing since earlier this month has been found.
A body found off of N.M. 60, near Mountainair, in Torrance County, on Wednesday, Sept. 14, has been identified as that of Karla Aguilera, 37, according to a press release issued by the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office today, Saturday, Sept. 17.
Karla Aguilera
Deceased
Her husband, Rosalio Aguilera-Gamboa, 50, is facing an open count of murder in connection to her death, as well as one count of tampering with evidence and one count of child abuse, according to the criminal complaint filed in district court on Friday, Sept. 16.
Aguilera-Gamboa was located in Kansas and arrested early this morning, Saturday, Sept. 17.
Karla was reported missing by her children about mid day on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The children told deputies with the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office that their mother lived with her husband, their stepfather, Rosalio, at a home on the 60 block of Sedillo Road in Tome. Karla was last seen on Saturday, Sept. 3, at her home.
During the investigation, deputies learned her disappearance was suspicious in nature, according to the press release and the VCSO’s criminal investigation division began actively investigating the whereabouts of both Karla and her husband.
According to the criminal complaint, Rosalio had a history of domestic violence with the most recent incident being him trying to hit Karla with his vehicle after she confronted him with evidence of infidelity.
The family had possible ties to the Mountainair area, it was learned during the investigation by the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, so VCSO was contacted and assisted with the investigation.
According to the press release, there are multiple indicators Aguilera-Gamboa was directly involved with Karla’s disappearance and death, resulting in an arrest warrant being issued for his arrest for multiple felony crimes.
Aguilera-Gamboa was located and taken into custody in the state of Kansas, by the Garden City Police Department at a residence within the city early Saturday morning.
The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office will hold a live press conference in reference to this case at 10 a.m., Monday, Sept. 19, the press release concluded.
For more details about this case, read Thursday’s edition of the News-Bulletin.
Julia M. Dendinger began working at the VCNB in 2006. She covers Valencia County government, Belen Consolidated Schools and the village of Bosque Farms. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists Rio Grande chapter’s board of directors.
