BREAKING NEWS

Second suspect in Irene Luevano murder leads police to her remains

Amaris Encinas
Arizona Republic
Irene Luevano

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At least two people have been arrested in connection with the death of 37-year-old Irene Luevano, whose remains were found in the desert on Thursday. 

According to recently released arrest documents, Luevano's boyfriend, Jorge Luis Quintero Lara, 28, admitted in an interview with police to stabbing and leaving her for dead. The second suspect, Diego Hernan Rodriguez Teran, 24, admitted knowing about the attack on Luevano.

Luevano was reported missing on Sunday morning after her family received a call from her telling them to call the police because Lara had stabbed her in the neck, arrest documents said.

The couple was last seen Saturday night driving together in Phoenix, Luevano's family told police. After receiving her call for help, the family made several failed attempts to contact her.

Teran's statement to police led them to Luevano's remains along Interstate 10 near Hovatter Road, east of New Hope, on Thursday morning.

"After an extensive search, Irene was located in a desert area just after 10 a.m. She was deceased with obvious signs of trauma," Sgt. Vincent Cole with the Phoenix Police Department said on Thursday.

Quintero admitted to stabbing Luevano while driving, arrest documents said. He also told police that he managed to get Luevano back in the vehicle after she attempted to escape, according to arrest documents.

Quintero was stabbed in his stomach after a second altercation took place as they drove west, arrest documents said. He told police he cut Luevano's neck, stabbed her multiple times and, "believing the victim was dead," dragged her into the desert area and fled, arrest documents said.

Cole thanked the community for its support in the investigation and offered his condolences to Luevano's family.

"Irene was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a member of our community," Cole said. "This was an act of violence that has no place in our city."

Police: Second suspect threatened by Lara to keep quiet

After Luevano's disappearance was reported, Quintero initially told police he had been robbed when that Sunday morning he went to a hospital to treat a stab wound. During the interview with police, he denied being involved in any altercation with Luevano, arrest documents said.

Upon a search of Quintero's cellphone records, police found that Quintero's and Luevano's phones were in the same place until 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, arrest documents said. 

Cellphone records led police to Luevano's vehicle, a gray 2007 Chevrolet Impala, near 107th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road on Tuesday. 

After further inspection, both Quintero's and Luevano's blood was found in the vehicle, arrest documents said.

Teran admitted to lying to officers who initially questioned him, saying that before the murder took place, Lara threatened to kill Teran's family if he said anything, according to arrest documents.

Teran told police he witnessed Quintero stab Luevano multiple times and then leave her body in the desert. According to the arrest documents, Teran led investigators to Luevano's remains on Thursday.

Both men were booked into a Maricopa County jail. 

Quintero was charged with one count of murder in the first degree, one count of concealing and abandoning a body, one count of aggravated assault and one count of kidnapping.

Teran was charged with one count of hindering prosecution.

Republic reporters Perry Vandell and Laura Daniella Sepulveda contributed to this article. 

Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas.

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