PHOENIX - An Arizona fugitive on the run for over a decade has been detained in Mexico in connection with the murder of her child, authorities said.
What we know:
On Nov. 30, 1998, human bone fragments were found by a hunter in a deserted area in Mobile, Arizona. The U.S. Marshals Service says the remains were unidentified for nearly two decades until August 2014, when a forensic DNA analysis matched the bone fragments to 4-year-old Crystal Reyes.
Dig deeper:
Authorities say Anna Marlene Somoza gave birth to Reyes in 1993 in Nogales, Mexico. The birth was undocumented and shortly after, Somoza took the child and went to Ahwatukee to live with her boyfriend, Avelino Tamala, who is not the girl's father.
The child was allegedly subjected to severe abuse, authorities say.
"Behind closed doors, the young child was subjected to severe physical abuse, ultimately being confined to a small dog kennel. Throughout Crystal’s brutally-short-lived life, Somoza and Tamala repeatedly tortured, starved, and abused Crystal as an infant and young girl," the U.S. Marshals Service said. "Reports indicate that Somoza and Tamala would leave Crystal bound by her hands and feet, gagged in a small dog crate for weeks at a time. The abuse escalated fatally on January 30, 1997, when the child was bound, suffocated with a taped towel, and left to die inside a sealed cardboard box."
Timeline:
In 1999, Somoza and Tamala were arrested for alleged drug and weapons offenses. Following their arrests, the U.S. Marshals Service says DNA was collected and a forensic analysis of the bone fragments "could not eliminate Somoza as the maternal source."
"Investigators lacked a DNA profile from Crystal’s biological father. As a result, the case went cold while Somoza served an eight-year federal prison sentence. Somoza was released from prison in 2008 and deported to Mexico," the U.S. Marshals Service said.
In August 2014, Reyes' biological father was found and interviewed by detectives. His DNA was also collected and analyzed, leading investigators to be able to identify the bone fragments as Reyes.
"This breakthrough along with other evidence gathered throughout the investigation, provided sufficient grounds for prosecutors to charge Somoza and Tamala for the first-degree murder of Crystal in December 2014," the U.S. Marshals Service said.
On Dec. 12, 2014, a grand jury indicted Somoza and Tamala for first-degree murder. Arrest warrants were issued and Tamala was taken into custody. Somoza was believed to be in Mexico.
Two years later, Tamala was found guilty of Reyes' murder and sentenced to life in prison.
On Oct. 18, 2026, Somoza, 60, was detained in Xochitepec, Mexico. Authorities say her close connections with cartels aided in her ability to avoid being captured by law enforcement.
What they're saying:
"This disturbing case can finally move forward with justice for Crystal," said U.S. Marshal Van Bayless for the District of Arizona. "[The] Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office showed their unrelenting desire to get Somoza into court and prison for her atrocities to an innocent beautiful little girl. This case became our priority with our partners, both north and south of the border who we are grateful for, and now she will be coming back and held accountable."
What's next:
Authorities say they will continue their efforts to secure Somoza's return to Arizona to face pending charges.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from an Oct. 18, 2026, news release by the U.S. Marshals Service.