Spanish-Honduran Mom Found Dead While on Romantic Getaway in Peru; Boyfriend Arrested After Claiming He Killed Her in Self-Defense
The boyfriend of a Spanish-Honduran mom who allegedly killed her while on a romantic getaway in Peru was recently arrested in London.
Suspect Jorge Alfredo Minaya Garay, 46, of Hythe Street, Dartford in Kent, England, is the boyfriend of Karla Xiomara Zelaya Godoy, a 36-year-old Spanish-Honduran national and mother of one.
Godoy went missing in late September during a trip with partner Garay to visit his family. However, her Peruvian boyfriend was believed to have strangled her to death while they were in Carabayllo in Lima, Peru.
According to The Sun, Godoy lived with Garay in Dartford, together with the victim's child. The couple reportedly shared pictures of their trip on a WhatsApp group and were seen to have visited various tourist hotspots in Peru, including Machu Picchu.
However, the Spanish-Honduran mom was soon reported missing while Garay returned to the United Kingdom. Believing she had been kidnapped, Peruvian police launched a probe into her disappearance on October 3.
Her body was found in a shallow grave in Carabayllo last week, wrapped in a blue plastic sheet. According to reports, it took more than 10 hours for authorities to recover her remains. Peruvian police have confirmed that the Spanish-Honduran mom was strangled to death.
Boyfriend Confessed to Killing the Spanish-Honduran Girlfriend in Peru
According to Daily Mail, Karla Xiomara Zelaya Godoy last spoke to her mother on the phone on September 22. At that time, she was riding a taxi with Jorge Alfredo Minaya Garay and allegedly told her mother that she was flying to Spain the following day. However, she was never heard from again.
While she was missing, her boyfriend reportedly confessed to her brother, Erick Zelaya. Police received an audio recording of Garay speaking to Erick. Garay revealed that he murdered Godoy and buried her body on his grandmother's property in Carabayllo, The Daily Star reported.
On October 1, Garay reportedly traveled to Chile before buying a ticket to London, where he lived with Godoy. According to local media, he is believed to have removed his possessions.
Peruvian authorities talked to Garay's grandmother, who confirmed that he had visited her but had already left. She also told the officers that her Peruvian grandson did not tell her where he was going.
According to Glen Garcia Chavez, head of Peru's National Police's Missing Persons Unit, Garay said they had an intense argument, and Godoy went to hurt him with a knife. Chavez noted that Garay claimed he defended himself by hitting her, and she fell unconscious on the ground.
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Peruvian Man Jorge Alfredo Minaya Garay Arrested in London
With assistance from the Metropolitan Police Service, Jorge Alfredo Minaya Garay was arrested in London on Saturday. Kent and Essex's police charged him with the murder of Karla Xiomara Zelaya Godoy between September 21 and October 2.
On Sunday, the Crown Prosecution Service gave authorization for the Peruvian man to be charged. The very next day, Garay appeared before the Folkstone Magistrate Court. He reportedly spoke through an interpreter to confirm his name, age and address. However, he did not enter a plea.
According to a spokesperson for the Kent Police, their officers are working closely with Peruvian authorities as part of the investigation.
The boss of the Spanish-Honduran mom paid tribute to her former employee and said Godoy was a "beautiful soul" who "brought sunshine into everyone's life with her carefree spirit and her loving nature."
The firm's chief executive added that "her heart was so full of love for her daughter and family." The company is now raising funds for Godoy's eight-year-old daughter.
READ MORE: LGBTQ Activists in Peru Demand Autopsy for Peruvian Transgender Man Who Died in Indonesia
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Spanish Murderer Arrested in London: Peruvian Said He Killed His Girlfriend in Self-Defense - From 24 Horas
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