PHOENIX — Police say missing Phoenix mother of five Irene Luevano has been found dead in a remote area of La Paz County.
Luevano's remains were located Thursday near Interstate 10 and Hovatter Road, approximately 40 miles east of Quartzsite, amid an ongoing search for her. Luevano had obvious signs of trauma, according to police.
Investigators working on the case have identified Luevano's boyfriend, Jorge Quintero Lara, as the primary suspect in her death and he is now facing murder charges.
On Tuesday, crews located Luevano's vehicle in Avondale, near 107th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.
When Luevano was first reported missing, officials said she had last been seen Saturday with Lara at a bar near 27th Avenue and Camelback Road.
At approximately 4 a.m. Sunday morning, Luevano called family, telling them that she had been stabbed in the neck by her boyfriend, police say.
UPDATE:
Earlier today, investigators found the remains of Irene Luevano in a remote area of La Paz County near Hovatter Rd. and I-10. Jorge Quintero Lara will now be facing murder charges. PPD extends our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Ms. Luevano. pic.twitter.com/d8D8Y5gTHb Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) January 20, 2022
"She’s like, ‘George stabbed me near the neck,’ and she's like, ‘Call the police, call the police.' And I'm like, 'Where are you at? Tell me where you are,’" Arlene Luevano, Irene’s mother said.
"I felt like she wanted to tell me where she was at, but as soon as she was going to speak more, the line cut off,” Irene's family said.
The family told ABC15 that Irene and Lara were living together. We're told the couple was driving in a Chevy Impala on Saturday night when they decided to go out to a bar near 27th Avenue and Camelback Road.
They even bumped into one of her sisters there before closing time and reportedly invited her over.
"I just wished I would have listened to her that night and would have come here. She could have probably still been here,” says Irene’s family.
Authorities located Luevano's boyfriend Sunday at a local hospital, where he had been sedated with multiple stab wounds that appear to be self-inflicted.
Lara was originally taken into custody on unrelated fraud charges and has remained in custody.
