PHOENIX — Two brothers have been arrested in connection with the discovery of a teen girl's body earlier this month in north Phoenix.
On October 5, officers responded to a home near Central and Dunlap avenues for a welfare check call.
The family of 21-year-old Daniel Blas Torrealba told police Daniel's girlfriend had not been seen for about 10 days. Torrealba and his girlfriend, 17-year-old Destiny Munoz have a 1-year-old child together.
According to police reports, Torrealba had arrived at the home with a large plastic tote container in the back seat of his Honda. He and his younger brother, 19-year-old Edwin Humberto Chavez-Blas reportedly moved the container from the Honda to a Ford pickup truck and left the home.
Officers then responded to the residence where Torrealba and Munoz lived together, where they found the truck still loaded with the plastic tote, described as emitting a "strong odor of decomposing matter."
When crews opened the container, they discovered a dead body inside wrapped in plastic and tape. The body was believed to have been decomposing for several days.
Chavez-Blas, who was found in the backyard of the home, was detained.
The body was taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner where an autopsy identified the victim as Munoz. The cause of death remains pending.
Torrealba turned himself in later that evening.
During an interview with police, Torrealba said Munoz had shot herself in the face after arguing about their relationship and alleged that she frequently made threats about committing suicide.
Torrealba said he covered up what happened because he was scared he would get in trouble for having a gun at the couple's home. Record checks show Torrealba was on federal probation for a felony conviction charge of transporting undocumented immigrants for profit.
Torrealba had reportedly told Chavez-Blas and other family members different versions of a story that Torrealba had pushed Munoz during a fight and she either hit her head or she was accidentally shot when she fell.
Police said it appears Chavez-Blas knew Munoz had been killed on September 26 and was involved in trying to conceal her death.
Torrealba is facing charges of concealing a dead body, prohibited possession of a weapon, and tampering with evidence. Chavez-Blas is also facing charges of concealing a dead body and tampering with evidence, as well as hindering prosecution.
At Torrealba's initial court appearance, the state claimed he is considered to be a flight risk.
Munoz's family says the young mother was full of life. Her sister told ABC15 that she was a very kind and loving person, who loved her baby Nathaniel so much.
"Now we are left with a baby without his mom and a father that hurt his mother. May the police do justice for Destiny. She would never commit suicide," says Jazmin Munoz, Destiny's sister.
"Hard to wrap your head around it," says Carter Burke, neighbor.
Neighbors watched as police investigated the home on October 5. Burke says part of it could be heard on his ring doorbell video.
"Police were talking to somebody and they were telling them to come out, and I walked out and heard a big boom. I'm guessing it was probably some sort of a flash grenade or something to disorient," says Burke.
The incident remains under investigation.
