A Mexican grandmother has been apprehended on charges of murdering her beauty queen daughter-in-law in an execution-style shooting, following her alleged escape from the country.
Erika Maria Herrera, 63, was arrested in Venezuela on Wednesday in connection with the death of her son’s wife, 27-year-old Carolina Flores, after a two-week search, as reported by Mexican outlet Blog del Narco.
An Interpol red notice had been issued for Herrera after authorities identified her as the primary suspect in the April 15 murder of Flores at her apartment in the affluent Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.
As of Thursday, Herrera remained in Venezuela pending extradition to Mexico, according to law enforcement officials.
Flores, a former Miss Teen Universe representative for Baja California, Mexico, was discovered with 12 gunshot wounds, six to her head and six to her chest, in the home she shared with Herrera’s son, Alejandro, and their 8-month-old child.
A chilling video purportedly shows the moment Herrera shot Flores, followed by a confrontation with her son.
In the footage, Herrera is seen trailing Flores off-camera, followed by the sound of a dozen gunshots.
“What did you do, you crazy woman?” Alejandro is heard saying as he enters the scene, carrying his young son.
“Nothing, she just made me angry,” Herrera reportedly responds, later claiming that Flores had “stolen” her son from her.
Alejandro is under investigation for allegedly delaying the report of his wife’s death until the following day, allowing his mother time to flee.
Authorities confirmed Herrera’s arrest in a statement released on Wednesday.
“The Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City confirms that, in coordination with authorities of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Erika Maria ‘N’ was arrested as the probable person responsible for the femicide of a 27-year-old woman committed in the Miguel Hidalgo borough,” stated Mexican police.
“Following the murder, the Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation that established her probable involvement,” the statement continued.
“Based on the evidence gathered on April 17, one day after the complaint was filed, a judge issued the corresponding arrest warrant,” the statement concluded.
