17-Year-Old Found Dead at Ex-Cop's Home Identified as His Girlfriend and Mother to Their Child
The woman, Angelica Santos, is believed to have been stabbed to death by former police officer Elias Huizar
WSP Missing Person Alerts/X; GoFundMe
Elias Huizar, Angelica Santos.The woman who was found dead at ex-cop Elias Huizar's home earlier this month has been identified as Angelica Santos, his 17-year-old girlfriend and the mother of their infant son.
The family of Santos launched a GoFundMe page following her death.
Her aunt, Samantha Deluna, shared on the campaign that the family was "asking help from our loved ones and the community to help lay my beautiful niece to rest."
"Jelly [Angelica] lost her life at the young age of 17 years old leaving behind her son Roman, her brother Damien, mother Tiffany, Grandparents Ann and Robert. Along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins," she wrote.
"The family appreciates any and all help from the community and loved ones at this time. If you can not donate please continue to share and pray for our family," Deluna continued.
According to the Tri-City Herald, an autopsy obtained by the outlet said Santos was stabbed to death. The West Richland Police Department (WRPD) in Washington said during a recent press conference, however, that her cause of death was undetermined.
Authorities also said during the conference that Huizar died by suicide after murdering Santos and his ex-wife and attempting to flee with the child he and Santos shared.
Police said the man took part in a "high-speed pursuit" in which he "exchanged gunfire with law enforcement" on April 23.
Eventually, the suspect — driving southbound on Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon — "crashed, spinning into the median" before he "took his own life with a self-initiated gunshot wound to the head," police chief Thomas Grego said.
"The child [1-year-old Roman Huizar] was removed from the vehicle, and we are working with the appropriate agencies to reunite him with his family," he continued.
WSP Missing Person Alerts/X
Elias Huizar; Roman HuizarPolice first responded to a shooting at the grounds of William Wiley Elementary School in West Richland, Washington, at 3:23 p.m. local time on April 22.
Authorities confirmed on Facebook that "one adult female was pronounced deceased at the scene," noting that a "person of interest" had also fled the scene.
The suspect was then identified as 40-year-old Huizar — a former Washington state school resource officer, according to CNN. Grego previously confirmed to PEOPLE that Huizar was a former police officer of the Yakima Police Department.
Per the Tri-City Herald, the suspect's ex-wife — who was identified as Amber Rodriguez — was murdered by him. She was a paraeducator at the school.
At the time, an Amber Alert issued by Washington State Patrol noted that Huizar was also suspected of abducting his 1-year-old child Roman. The Amber Alert said that authorities believed he was possibly headed toward Mexico at the time he fled the scene.
West Richland police detectives later "discovered a second crime scene" at the suspect's home, stating at the time that the second victim — now identified as the teenaged girlfriend — was a "known associate of the suspect."
Related: Man Accused of 'Gruesome' Stabbing Murders of Fla. Mom and Her 4-Year-Old Daughter
Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger said, per CNN, that a motive for Santos' homicide remains unclear and that a protection order had previously been filed against Huizar on behalf of the teen.
According to jail records obtained by the outlet, Huizar was previously charged with second-degree rape in February, separate from the third-degree charge involving Santos.
CNN also reported that the Oregon State Police superintendent and two other officers involved in the car chase had been placed on leave, which Oregon State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy called "standard procedure” after an officer-involved shooting.
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