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More details emerge in death of missing woman

Posted at 3:41 PM, Aug 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-09 19:28:11-04

The family of 28-year old Yvonne Villanueva reported her missing on June 11. Police found her body in a couch in a drainage ditch on County Road 63 and County Road 20 just south of Petronila on June 13.

On July 23, Austin Police arrested Trinidad Perez in Travis County. He was booked into the Nueces County Jail on July 25.

Yvonne Villanueva
The family of 28-year old Yvonne Villanueva reported her missing on June 11. Police found her body in a couch in a drainage ditch on County Road 63 and County Road 20 just south of Petronila on June 13.

 

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KRIS 6 News, a family member told police on June 6  that Perez had asked him to move a couch to the garage at a home on the 4900 block of Weber Road.

When the family member told Perez the sofa was heavy, Perez told him he had something he needed to tell him, something he needed to “take to his grave”.

Trinidad Perez
Trinidad Perez, 50, is accused of killing Yvonne Villanueva. Her body was found outside of city limits near Petronila.

 

Perez told him Villanueva had threated to have him beat up, so he he strangled her in his room while she was laying in the bed. He then placed Villanueva in the couch and nailed it shut.

The witness told investigators he was too afraid to check the couch to see if Villanueva was in it, and he contacted police that day and said he wasn’t sure where the sofa was.

Officers then obtained a warrant and searched the home and garage. They didn’t find Villanueva, they did find stuffing from furniture inside a small trash can in the kitchen.

Investigators contacted Villanueva’s family who stated they had not seen her since June 4. Officers tried contacting Villanueva but her phone was off.

On June 10, detectives called Perez. He answered his phone one time and spoke briefly, then hung up the phone and didn’t answer it again. The following day, officers pinged the phone and found he was near New Braunfels.

On June 13, officers looking for a possible place where Perez dumped Villanueva found a couch tossed into a drainage ditch and laying on its side near County Road 63. Officers said “a very strong and pungent” odor was coming from the sofa.

Officers cut the sofa open and found Villanueva’s body inside.

On July 23, Austin Police arrested Trinidad Perez in Travis County. He was booked into the Nueces County Jail on July 25.

Perez is facing a murder charge and an assault charge stemming from a May 15 incident with Villanueva.

Perez’ bond has been set at $550,000. His case has been assigned to the 214th District Court, which now oversees domestic violence cases in Nueces County.

No hearings have been scheduled in his case.