3 bodies found in missing family case, suspect expected to face capital murder charges

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA/Gray News) - Authorities in Alabama say three bodies have been recovered that are believed to be those of a missing family.

Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said the bodies appear connected to the disappearance of Aurelia Choc Cac, 40, and her two children, Niurka Zuleta-Choc, 17, and Anthony Garcia Choc, 2. They have been missing since January.

According to Burch, the bodies were recently found in a lightly wooded area off Downing Road in Baldwin County.

Hector Gamaliel Argueta-Guerra, 27, has been in custody for weeks, having been charged with kidnapping in the family’s disappearance.

Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood announced Thursday that he will upgrade those charges to capital murder.

“This is a horrific and gruesome murder,” he said. “The state will seek the death penalty in this case, the charges will be signed today, and we will move through the Alabama justice system.”

Mobile County Sheriff Burch also did not mince words.

“He’s an evil person who makes his judgments,” he said.

Blackwood said forensic identification of the bodies will take some time, but he added there is sufficient evidence to lead authorities to conclude the bodies are those of the Choc family.

Burch added that he hopes to have preliminary autopsy results by the end of Thursday, saying that the bodies were discovered during a routine follow-up at a property associated with Argueta-Guerra.

Cadaver dogs alerted to a spot where all three bodies were buried.

Burch said investigators are still looking into a possible motive.

“I will say that all of the agencies have worked on this every day since that family went missing. In a case like this, with a whole family missing, you never give up hope. But obviously, as each day passes, the outcome doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be good,” Burch said.

In addition to the capital murder charges, Argueta-Guerra faces three counts of abuse of a corpse and obstruction, related to allegations that he gave a false name.

Investigators said he has a lengthy criminal past, including warrants in El Salvador for alleged gang activity.

In 2015, he was the subject of an attempted aggravated homicide investigation as a juvenile. That same year, U.S. records show he was detained in Texas for being in the country illegally, but he was released after one month.

The reason he avoided deportation remains unclear. Officials said he may have been granted temporary protected status.

Burch laid the blame on the administration of former President Joe Biden.

“We wouldn’t be here today if this defendant, who has an extensive violent criminal history, were not released under Biden’s administration,” he said.