An Arizona family made a disheartening discovery after a woman didn’t show up to their surprise 50th birthday party.
The family had contacted Teresa DeJesus Cruz Rubio, 49, to confirm that she would meet them at the location of what would be their surprise party around 3:40 p.m. Friday, Glendale police said. according to Fox 10.
When she didn’t show up to the party, the family became concerned and went to Cruz Rubio’s house around 8 p.m., but were unable to locate the victim.
They then returned later with a locksmith and managed to enter the house, where they found Cruz Rubio’s decapitated body, which also had multiple stab wounds. AZ Central Reports.
Cruz Rubio’s son, Alejandro González, 25, has since been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in his mother’s death.
Teresa DeJesús Cruz Rubio, 49, was found decapitated inside her home on Friday.
His family members became concerned when Cruz Rubio didn’t show up to his surprise birthday party and arranged for a locksmith to enter his home, where they made the horrifying discovery.
Officers found Cruz Rubio’s body under a blanket with multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, chest and arms, and a knife block in the kitchen sink with a knife that appeared to have blood and hair on it.
Cops also noticed there was blood in the shower, which was still running, according to AZ Central.
“It’s absolutely horrible,” said Sgt. Bryan Hoskin said. “It’s horrible for the family that had to endure this, it’s horrible for the officers that had to go see this.”
Police then spoke to Cruz Rubio’s sister, who said she had been the last to speak with the Southwest Key Programs teacher, when she called to RSVP to the event that should have been her surprise birthday party.
He also told police he had lent his car, a burgundy GMC Yukon, to his sister and that it was missing.
Relatives also noted that Gonzalez had been living in his mother’s apartment after he was released from jail on unrelated charges less than a day earlier, police said. Latin Times reports.
Alejandro González, 25, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the death of his mother.
In the subsequent investigation, police obtained surveillance footage from a neighbor’s home that showed the car traveling west from Cruz Rubio’s home around 5 p.m.
Authorities later found Gonzalez in the burgundy pickup truck, covered in wounds on his hands and arms and with blood on his clothing.
González was then arrested around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
He told investigators that his mother had picked him up from jail and dropped him off at her house.
He also said he had smoked methamphetamine with a black man who was riding a bike in the neighborhood, AZ Central reports.
The suspect said the man “did something to his mother” and then “made me stab her or something.”
González also stated that the man already stabbed his mother, so he began to cut off her head, stating that the man told him ‘she won’t feel anything.’
Glendale police said Alejandro admitted to stabbing his mother numerous times with a kitchen knife and then decapitating her.
“Alejandro admitted to stabbing his mother numerous times with a kitchen knife and then decapitating her,” police said.
They noted that there was no evidence that other suspects were involved in Cruz Rubio’s murder, but Hoskin noted that the investigation is ongoing and detectives are looking into claims that there was another suspect.
González has been booked into the Maricopa County Jail charged with first-degree murder and theft of means of transportation.
His bail was set at $1 million, cash only.
Meanwhile, the family is raising money for Cruz Rubio’s funeral.
“There are no words for the enormous loss and hole left by the death of Teresa Cruz,” said the says the online fundraiser.
Cruz Rubio’s family is now raising money for her funeral and describes her as a “bright light to everyone around her.”
‘She was a shining light to everyone around her. She loved with all her heart and would do anything to see this family happy and successful.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the amount of pain and sadness this tragedy has brought to his loved ones,” he continued.
“We would like to ask the community to come together to show love and support to Teresa Cruz and her grieving family and help with final expenses and arrangements.”
As of Tuesday night, it had raised nearly $10,000.
The Glendale Victim Advocacy Center is also assisting the family and officers are helping process the trauma of what they saw.
