Aubrey woman dead, man arrested

By Basil Gist

Staff Writer

       The Aubrey Police Department apprehended a young man in Silverado on Monday after discovering him in the backyard with his deceased elderly relative.

       Adrian Joe Padilla, a 24-year-old man, allegedly killed Mary Inez Jacinto, whom he lived with.

       “The suspect, Padilla, was taken into custody at the scene and was transported to the Denton County Sheriff’s Office jail and charged with Capital Murder and Tampering/Fabricating Evidence with intent to impair a human corpse,” APD said in a public release.

       APD Chief Richard Brooks explained his officers discovered Padilla in the backyard with Jacinto’s body nearby.

       “She had not been buried, but it appeared as if that was his intent,” Brooks said.

       According to the release, officers received a call saying Jacinto had not been accessible via phone for several hours.

       As of press time, police had not received information from the medical examiner’s office regarding cause of death or how long Jacinto had been deceased prior to their arrival.

       Brooks shared that Padilla spoke to the family, who was on scene, after his apprehension.

       “He said something to the family as they walked by, something to the effect of, ‘It was self-defense,’ but I can’t quote him exactly,” Brooks said.

       As the case is still under investigation, the department has encouraged anyone with further information to contact them and has offered several channels with which to do so.

       Residents can contact APD directly via, PDTips@aubreytx.gov or by calling 940-365-2601.

      To leave an anonymous tip, anyone can contact Denton County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-388-TIPS (8477) or online at www.dentoncountycrimestoppers.com.