Police say that her son was arrested in association with the horrific death of a woman whose head had been cut off.
Early Friday morning, Sept. 27, near Bethany Home Road and 43rd Avenue, a family friend called to say that 49-year-old Teresa DeJesus Cruz Rubio was dead. This was the start of an investigation.
“The person’s family had planned a surprise birthday party for them.” Around 3:40 PM that same day, the victim’s family called, and the victim decided to meet with them. “When the victim didn’t show up to the event, her family became worried and went to her house, where they found her headless body,” Glendale Police said.
Investigators had reason to think that Alejandro Gonzalez, the victim’s son, had something to do with her death.
Gonzalez allegedly used his mom’s car that day around 5 p.m. He is said to have used his mom’s phone to call family soon after that.
Phoenix Police found the car on September 28 at 2:40 a.m., close to 99th Avenue and I-10. Gonzalez was taken to the police station in Glendale to chat with them.
“Alejandro admitted to stabbing his mother numerous times using a kitchen knife, followed by decapitating her,” the police said.
He was taken to the Maricopa County Jail and charged with murder in the first degree. His bond is $1 million in cash only.
The family told the police Gonzalez was living with his mum after getting out of jail. Court papers show that his family said he had mental health problems and could have killed her.
A lot of people at Southwest Key Programs loved Cruz Rubio as a teacher.
‘It’s absolutely horrific’
Police say Cruz Rubio’s sister was the last person to talk to her that afternoon. She was calling to make sure her surprise birthday party would go as planned.
The family broke into her house with the help of a locksmith and found her dead.
According to Sgt. Bryan Hoskin of the Glendale Police Department, Cruz Rubio was found under a blanket with several stab wounds to her body.
“The 9-1-1 caller stated a family member was inside the house, was deceased, and that the victim’s head had been cut off,” Hoskin said.
The police saw that the shower was still running and that there was a bloody kitchen knife in the washbasin.
Police were told by her sister that her burgundy GMC Yukon, which she had given Cruz Rubio to use, was gone. FOX 10 got video of the SUV leaving the house in the late afternoon, which was recorded by a neighbor’s Ring video.
Gonzalez’s hands and arms were hurt, and there was blood on his clothes when cops found the SUV and him.
It was also said that Alejandro used methamphetamines during the probe and interview. As officers went through the scene and looked at all the other evidence, Sgt. Hoskin said, “Alejandro said there was another suspect involved, but other evidence did not point to this.”
The Glendale Police Department says that the victim support centre is helping the family and officers deal with the trauma of seeing such a horrible scene.
“It’s horrible beyond words.” “This is terrible for the family who had to go through it and for the police officers who had to see it,” Sgt. Hoskin said.