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Published on January 15, 2025
Suspect Charged With Aggravated Murder in Talia Lee Benward's Death in Tooele CountySource: Unified Police Department

Nestor Oved Rocha-Aguayo, 24, now faces an array of charges after the discovery of 31-year-old Talia Lee Benward's body in Tooele County. On January 14th, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged Rocha-Aguayo with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and abuse or desecration of a dead human body, as reported by ABC4. After Benward went missing on Jan. 2, her body was located in a remote area two days later, prompting an immediate investigation. Shortly after being reported absent by her family, Rocha-Aguayo was apprehended on a Mexico-bound bus following a failed attempt to evade authorities.

Further details obtained from KUTV reveal that Benward's ex-boyfriend had reported receiving "threatening" Instagram messages between her and Rocha-Aguayo. An autopsy determined that Benward suffered asphyxiation and blunt force trauma, contributing to her tragic demise. In addition, according to KSL, after a previous failed arrest attempt where Rocha-Aguayo escaped a Taser deployment on Jan. 4, he was ultimately detained the next day in Fillmore, during a bus pit stop en route to Mexico.

Before the confirmation of Benward's death, her vehicle, a Jetta, was also reported missing, contributing another layer to the search and inquiry. Investigations took a grim turn when authorities analyzed Rocha-Aguayo's cellphone and Facebook account, which, according to charging documents from KSL, uncovered "pictures of Benward's body." These disturbing discoveries have been vital in piecing together the final moments of Benward's life and establishing the case against Rocha-Aguayo.