A suspect in Saturday’s double murder in Perry was arrested in Illinois Sunday on a Perry Police Department warrant and will soon be extradited to Dallas County, Perry Police Department Chief Eric Vaughn told reporters at a press conference Monday afternoon.
Carlos Marlo Hernandez-Ventura, 24, faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in the domestic melee occurring about 8 p.m. Saturday at 802 Sixth St. in Perry.
Vaughn identified the murder victims as Lourdes Flor de Leake, 34, and her daughter, Melany Elizabeth Barraza, 14. He said the victims suffered “multiple lacerations and blunt force traumas.”
A third victim, Juan Jimenez, 78, remains in critical condition in a Des Moines hospital, Vaughn said.
Vaughn said the three victims and the suspect all resided in the Sixth Street house. “It is believed Leake and the suspect were in a domestic relationship,” the Perry Police Chief said.
The Perry Police Department withheld identities of the slain women until the completion of autopsies and notification of relatives. Both Leak and Barraza were receiving messages of condolence on their Facebook pages Sunday.
“I’ll miss you a lot,” said one person writing on Berraza’s Facebook page. “I think we all will. Couldn’t ask for a better friend. Honestly, you understood a lot of people and cared for people. You always helped people out when they were down.”
Another wrote, “I love you. I’ll miss you, but I will remember you for life! I’m sorry that our memories didn’t last long, but I’m sure we enjoyed it.”
A friend of Jimenez said the victim “was in the process of moving to Bar-Jac. He was real excited about it. I really hope he comes through.”
The suspect, Hernandez-Ventura, was arrested about 3 p.m. in Morrison, Ill., a city lying about 15 miles east of Clinton, Iowa, on U.S. Highway 30. He is currently being held in the Whiteside County Jail pending extradition.
The Perry Police Department was assisted in its investigation by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, the Dallas County Sheriff’s office, the Morrison Police Department and the Whiteside County Sheriff’s office.
Vaughn said counselors in the Perry school system were assisting students to process their shock and grief over the sudden loss of their schoolmate.
ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.
Once again, great job of covering this, guys, as Chief Vaughan was not heard on our local radio station. Glad you can report the news when it is available, not only when it is “official.”