Woman accused of beating man to death, covering body in plastic bags, and dumping remains in park
01/02/2024 1:07 pm PST
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (TCD) -- Deputies are searching for a Kansas woman they allege beat a man to death, abandoned his corpse, and fled to Mexico.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, investigators believe 48-year-old Elena Del Carmen Flores killed the victim and left his body at Rocky Hollow Park, where his remains were found on Dec. 22. Court documents obtained by KCTV-TV allege deputies found the victim covered in black plastic bags, and he had sustained critical blunt force trauma injuries to his head and hand.
On the night of Dec. 20, Flores’ daughter reportedly heard a scream coming from Flores’ room. The suspect’s daughter allegedly saw her mother with a bat, and when she went into the room, she noticed the victim was unresponsive.
According to KCTV, Flores’ daughter told detectives she cleaned the room with acid and removed the carpeting and furniture per her mother’s orders. The suspect allegedly told her daughter to "lie about what she had seen" because her mother "may go to jail for a long time."
The suspect reportedly made her daughter delete any phone call and text message records, and Flores said she was going to Mexico for a family emergency.
Officials tracked Flores’ black Volkswagen Jetta to a gas station in Kearney, Missouri. Investigators located surveillance video from the business that allegedly showed "shiny material consistent with what a black plastic trash bag looks like" in the back of Flores’ Jetta.
According to KCTV, authorities also recovered furniture and carpeting at different locations where the Jetta had been. Flores’ daughter told officials the furniture was from her mother’s room.
The 7th Judicial Circuit Court of Clay County filed a warrant for Flores’ arrest on charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse. Her bond has been set at $2 million.
According to the sheriff’s office, Flores goes by Elena Torres, Elena Flores Garcia, or Elena Stores. She is reportedly 5-foot-5 and weighs around 200 pounds.
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