An international manhunt has ended with the arrest of a 23-year-old Anaheim woman accused of killing and decapitating her boyfriend, then fleeing the country. Authorities say she was taken into custody in Mexico and returned to Orange County to face a murder charge. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Enrique Gonzalez‑Carbajal, whose body was discovered on Aug. 25 inside the woman's home during a welfare check. Investigators say this week's arrest follows months of work and a cross-border push to track her down.
Arrest in Mexico and international probe
Anaheim resident Alyssa Marie Lira was arrested on Jan. 22 in Mexico and flown back to the United States to face criminal charges. The arrest capped roughly five months of work by Anaheim homicide detectives, the Orange County District Attorney’s Organized Crime Unit, the FBI’s Orange County resident agency, and assistant legal attachés in Mexico, according to NBC Los Angeles.
How the death was discovered
Police were sent to the 1300 block of East La Palma Avenue around 2 p.m. on Aug. 25 for a welfare check and found Gonzalez‑Carbajal dead inside the residence, according to MyNewsLA. Officials have not publicly laid out a detailed narrative of what led up to the killing.
Charges, arraignment and possible penalties
Lira, 23, is charged with one felony count of murder and a felony enhancement for personally using a weapon. Prosecutors say she faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in prison if convicted. Her arraignment is set for Feb. 13, and it was not immediately clear whether she has retained an attorney, according to NBC Los Angeles.
What happens next
The Orange County District Attorney's Office will prosecute the case, and upcoming court filings are expected to reveal more about what investigators believe happened inside the Anaheim home. As the investigation continues, authorities have asked anyone with information to contact the Anaheim Police Department.
