An Arizona family made a grim discovery after a woman failed to show up to her 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 her surprise party at around 3.40pm Friday, Glendale police said, according to Fox 10.
When she then failed to show up at the party, the family became concerned, and went to Cruz Rubio’s home at around 8pm, but could not reach the victim.
They then came back later with a locksmith and were able to gain entrance into the home, where they found Cruz Rubio’s decapitated body, which also had multiple stab wounds, AZ Central reports.
Cruz Rubio’s son, Alejandro Gonzalez, 25, has since been arrested and is accused of first degree murder in his mother’s death.
Teresa DeJesus Cruz Rubio, 49, was found decapitated inside her home on Friday
Her family members grew concerned when Cruz Rubio failed to show up for her surprise birthday party, and got a locksmith to gain entrance into her home, where they made the horrific discovery
Officers found Cruz Rubio’s body under a blanket with multiple stab wounds to her abdomen, chest and arms, and a knife block in the kitchen sink with one knife that appeared to have blood and hair on it.
Cops also noticed that there was blood in the shower, which was still running, according to AZ Central.
‘It’s absolutely horrific,’ Sgt. Bryan Hoskin said. ‘It’s horrific to the family who had to endure this, it’s horrific to the officers who had to go and see this.’
Police then spoke to Cruz Rubio’s sister, who said she had been the last to speak to the teacher at Southwest Key Programs, when she called to confirm her attendance at the event that should have been her surprise birthday party.
She also told law enforcement she had lent her car, a burgundy GMC Yukon, to her sister and it was missing.
Family members also noted that Gonzalez had been living at his mother’s apartment, after he was released from jail on unrelated charges less than one day before, the Latin Times reports.
Alejandro Gonzalez, 25, has been arrested and is accused of first degree murder in his mother’s death
In the ensuing investigation, police obtained surveillance footage from a neighbor’s house showing the car traveling westbound from Cruz Rubio’s house at around 5pm.
Law enforcement later found Gonzalez in the burgundy SUV, covered in injuries to hands and arms, and with blood on his clothes.
Gonzalez was then taken into custody at around 3.30pm on Saturday.
He told investigators his mother had picked him up from jail and dropped him off at her house.
He further said he had smoked methamphetamines with a black man who was biking in the neighborhood, AZ Central reports.
The suspect said the man ‘did something to his mom’ and then ‘had me stab her or something.’
Gonzalez also claimed that the man already stabbed his mom, so he started chopping his mother’s head off, asserting 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, then decapitated her
‘Alejandro admitted to stabbing his mother numerous times using a kitchen knife, followed by decapitating her,’ police said.
They noted that there was no evidence that any other suspects were involved in Cruz Rubio’s murder, but Hoskin noted that the investigation is ongoing and detectives are looking into the claims that there was another suspect.
Gonzalez has been booked into Maricopa County Jail on charges of first-degree murder and theft of means of transportation.
His bail was set at $1million, cash only.
Meanwhile, the family is raising money for Cruz Rubio’s funeral.
‘There [are] no words for the huge loss and hole left behind by the passing of Teresa Cruz,’ the online fundraiser says.
Cruz Rubio’s family is now raising money for her funeral, describing her as a ‘bright light to all those around her’
‘She was a bright light to all those around her. She loved with all her heart and would do anything to see here family happy and successful.
‘Words cannot even begin to describe the amount of pain and sorrow that this tragedy has brought to her loved ones,’ it continued.
‘We would like to ask for the community to come together to show love and support to Teresa Cruz and her grieving family and help with the expenses and final arrangements.’
As of Tuesday evening, it had raised nearly $10,000.
The Glendale Victim Advocacy Center is also assisting the family and officers help process the trauma of what they saw.
