Police in Alabama have arrested a woman after she allegedly shot and dismembered her partner with a chainsaw in their family home, with their young child present. Benito Morales Guzman was reported missing on August 27, prompting the Geneva County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. Deputies visited the couple’s home in the Fadette community, where they found Guzman’s dismembered body in a car on the property he shared with 41-year-old Joselina Lopez.
Lopez was arrested on August 29 and charged with intentional murder. During her bond hearing on September 3, an Alabama State Bureau of Investigation detective testified that a strong odor was coming from the vehicle on the property. Inside the car, deputies discovered a chainsaw and Guzman’s dismembered body, which had been placed in trash bags in the back seat. Court records revealed that the chainsaw found in the vehicle still had human flesh on it.
Further investigation at the couple’s home uncovered a gun, hatchet, knives, and receipts for the tools used in the gruesome crime. Authorities believe Guzman was shot multiple times before being dismembered. They also suspect that the couple’s 4-year-old child may have been present during the murder. Court records indicated that Lopez may have planned to flee the country, as another vehicle on the property contained a car seat, a packed diaper bag, the child’s birth certificate, and Lopez’s passport.
During the bond hearing, Lopez’s defense team claimed that she acted in self-defense, but prosecutors argued that she failed to provide evidence to support her claim. Lopez allegedly made a statement to a relative while in jail, expressing regret for not leaving earlier. Guzman’s body was found completely dismembered, with authorities estimating that he was killed between August 24 and August 27.
The tragic incident has shocked the community and raised questions about the events leading up to Guzman’s death. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the crime and bring justice to those involved.
