Man Sought in Woman’s Death Is Found With Her Daughter, 6
A suspect in the killing of a South-Central mother of three and the kidnaping of one of her children is in custody in Los Angeles after a daylong search that led police to Fresno.
Juan Hilario Bautista, 29, was found Thursday evening by Fresno County sheriff’s deputies with Jessica Figueroa, 6. The girl was taken from her home after her mother, Marta Chavez Figueroa, 29, was stabbed to death Wednesday night on the 200 block of West 59th Street, police said.
Bautista and Jessica were driven back to Los Angeles and Bautista was put into custody Friday morning, police said.
Jessica was unharmed, police said, but has been hospitalized to treat a cold, said Lt. Jim Voge.
Police said they were also able to contact Jessica’s grandmother in Mexico. She is on her way to Los Angeles to take care of Jessica and her two siblings, Eduardo, 7, and Janett, 1.
Eduardo found his mother’s body in the bed next to his Thursday morning when he awoke about 8 a.m., police said, and went to neighbors to ask for help. Janett and Eduardo were unharmed, police said.
Police said Bautista and Figueroa were involved in a “boyfriend / girlfriend relationship” and that Bautista was known to the Figueroa children but was not the father of any of them.
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