The Cameron County Sheriff’s Department in Texas arrested a man on Wednesday on accusations that he killed his common-law wife.
Deputies responded to a home in Brownsville due to a welfare concern. Once inside the home, deputies found the body of Jocelyn Morales, 22, with ‘anomalies’ and instantly suspected foul play was involved.
Sheriff Eric Garza said, “After finding the body, the next day Morales’ husband Abel Giovani Nava was arrested. He eventually confessed during an interrogation that he killed her because of jealousy problems.”
Nava initially fled the crime scene, but was quickly located in a parking lot in Lincoln Park, Texas. An investigator for the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office was the one who tracked him down.
District Attorney Luis V. Saenz said, “With all the modern technology currently used in today’s police work, a good old-fashioned police officer walking the beat helped win the day. Now Nava will wait to answer the criminal charges pending against him.”
Nava was charged with first-degree murder and is in custody at Carrizales-Rucker Detention Facility.
A GoFundMe was started my Morales’ family and has already raised over $6,000.
“This tragedy has not only left my family completely heartbroken, but it has also blindsided us with the unexpected funeral expenses,” wrote Morales’ sister, Natalie Ramirez, who organized the GoFundMe. “I ask for any donations to help give my sister a beautiful funeral that she deserves, so we can say our final goodbyes to her.”
Authorities have not yet revealed a cause of death.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
