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| Claudia Lucero |
Mesa, AZ: An arrest has been made in the murder investigation of 14-year-old Claudia Lucero. The young girl was assaulted, strangled and dumped in a trash container, police said Tuesday.
Family friend Alex Madrid has been charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual conduct with a minor, molestation of a child, sexual abuse, child abuse, abandonment/concealment of a dead body and tampering with physical evidence, according to Mesa police.
"Over the past some weeks, he had been estranged from the family," Milstead said. "It was known to detectives that Claudia was afraid of Alex. He had inappropriately touched her, on occasion."
The body was found early Friday by two women digging through the trash container for aluminum cans at the Sun Garden Apartments. Police said the girl was identified Monday.
Madrid, a construction worker, originally was arrested on a probation violation and other charges last Friday. Milstead said police wanted to keep Madrid off the streets until investigators could determine if he was linked to the teen's killing.
The girl was last seen at her home at 6:30 a.m. Thursday and didn't make it to Westwood High School that day, police said. Her mother filed a missing-persons report that night.
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