Pregnant Teen Discovers Mom Killed Her Boyfriend

No, did he already tell you?

No.

Okay.

Let me see if he wants to tell me.

This is 17 year old Elizabeth Poblenato. A few hours ago, her boyfriend was found mysteriously shot dead in a back alley.

She's dying.

Yeah. She wants to tell the person who did it. She's pregnant.

Tragically, Elizabeth is also pregnant with their child. Her mother Ortiz Chavez is trying to comfort her daughter. What Elizabeth doesn't know yet is that her mother is hiding a dark secret that will ruin the family's life.

Your mom's car is on video leading the homicide. You seriously think that they the family's life.

As detectives work the case, more and more clues start pointing towards Elizabeth's family, and as she learns that her own family are now suspected killers, all she can do is deny the accusations accusations while her mother sacrifices her own children to hide what she's done. It's a quiet Friday morning in downtown Albuquerque. The 16 year old boy walks alone through a back alley

on his way to work, unaware that a killer is waiting for him inside one of the parked cars. Then a single gunshot rings out, striking the teenager in the head and killing him instantly, while the shooter disappears from the scene.

Within minutes, multiple 911 calls start flooding in reporting the gunfire. Patrol units quickly respond to the area, and as officers turn down the alley, they're met with a grim scene. Lying on the pavement is a teenage boy,

motionless, with blood pooling beneath his head. The victim shows no signs of life and appears to have a gunshot wound Visible just above his temple whatever happened in this alley happened fast and whoever pulled the trigger is already gone Officers call it in and begin securing the perimeter with no weapon in sight and no ID on the body They now need to figure out who he is and why he ended up here. Backup units soon arrive and start canvassing the area, looking for anyone who might have heard or

seen what happened. And before long, two witnesses come forward, claiming they saw something strange right after the gunshot.

Did you hear it?

I didn't hear anything.

There's two, one of them is a light-skinned male.

He turns around, runs back to the alley

and takes off down the street. I just saw strange cars that aren't usually here because I just want to survive. I noticed some weird activity and I just had this gut-wrenching feeling that someone was about to get shot because there were just weird people back

here and I saw this kid, this guy right here who fired, followed by a group of teenagers scrambling

in every direction. One of them was seen jumping into a car with a girl before speeding away. The information is vague, but it gives police a starting point. Detectives soon arrive at the scene and launch a formal homicide investigation. While examining the body, they notice something odd about the victim. He's still wearing an apron, the kind used by restaurant staff, suggesting

he might have worked nearby. That small detail sends them straight across the street to the only restaurant in sight, Lindy's Diner. Inside, the owners immediately recognize the victim. His name is Josue J. Ruiz, 16 years old, a dishwasher who'd only started a few weeks earlier. They tell police Jay's grandfather is a regular customer, and officers are able to call him and ask him to come down to the scene.

When Jay's grandfather arrives, detectives have to break the tragic news to him. But what he tells them about Jay's life will start to hint at darker things he may have been involved in. try to do the best we can by him staying. Most of it. All right. He's your grandson, is that correct?

Okay.

He was involved with something, but I could never get the truth from him. I could never get the truth from him. There was one friend that he was involved with that, you know, I really didn't approve of. I was just getting ready to move him out,

you know, take him somewhere else, you know, so he can have a job, you know.

Although the news clearly breaks him, he takes it with quiet strength, telling detectives that his grandson had been involved in something lately that might be what got him killed. And as the conversation continues, he mentions one more heartbreaking detail. Jay wasn't just a teenager with secrets. He was about to become a father.

He has his girlfriend over there at my apartment.

His girlfriend's at your apartment right now?

Yeah, he called me this morning and told me, you're gonna see a great-grandfather, is what he told me.

No kidding.

Who's his girlfriend? The revelation only adds to the tragedy. Jay's girlfriend, 17-year-old Elizabeth Baldonado, is pregnant with his child and has no idea that he's gone. Investigators plan to speak with her later, but for now they allow Jay's grandfather to leave the scene and deliver the news himself, telling her that detectives will be in touch soon. If anyone can explain what Jay had been caught up in, it's her.

About an hour later, the homicide case is officially assigned to Detective Anna Brusiaga as the lead investigator. After reviewing the initial reports and witness statements, she begins canvassing the area for any surveillance footage that might reveal what happened. It doesn't take long before officers locate a camera mounted outside a nearby school, angled directly towards the alley where the shooting took place.

When they sit down to review the footage, they finally get their first visual clue of Jay's killers.

So these are all the cameras that are running on two systems, digital and analog.

The analog sucks, so there's a fair warning.

This faces the alleyway.

Once the shot happens, the people loading the vehicle will react.

So it's the individual that locks the people loading the vehicle will react. So it's the individual who locks the vehicle somewhere right here.

So he just walked to the passenger side.

And they react. Is this a gun?

I guess it's like a Toyota.

On screen, a gold Toyota sedan can be seen racing away seconds after the gunshot, and through the tinted glass, detectives can barely make out what appears to be two figures inside the vehicle, meaning there are at least two suspects on the loose. A couple of hours later, detectives arrive at the apartment where Jay's girlfriend, Elizabeth, is staying. They believe she might help them understand what Jay had

been caught up in, but they have no idea that they'll soon come face to face with one of Jay's killers. Someone far closer to him than anyone imagined. I'm sorry for your lost time out, that obviously he was possibly having some issues with some people, right?

Can you tell me about that?

He doesn't really tell me much about that stuff. So let's start with today.

What did you guys do that day?

He took a shower at like eight o'clock. He was getting ready to go to work at 10. I was making appointments today

because we found out that I'm pregnant.

Well, he was texting me still The timeline Elizabeth provides lines up with the shooting. Around 11.20am is when Jay stopped responding to her messages, the same time investigators believe he was killed. Beyond that, Elizabeth doesn't offer much, saying Jay often kept to himself and never told her what he was doing. To detectives, it sounds like Jay might have gotten himself involved in something he didn't want anyone else to know about. Maybe a deal that went wrong or a confrontation

that escalated. Whatever it was, it's likely what got him killed. Or at least, that's what it seems at first. Because Elizabeth isn't telling the full story. Not yet. And the next thing she remembers won't just give detectives a new lead, it'll start turning suspicion towards Elizabeth and her own family. A little bit from what I've got gathered from Grandpa

is that he feels like he was up to no good lately.

Can you tell me about that?

This morning, him and my brother were supposed to box it out because this has nothing to do with this at all. My brother and him just don't get along. They bump heads very much. But my brother would never do this.

He knows how I feel about Jay.

And which brother?

My younger brother.

Your younger brother? What's his name?

Angelo. Tell me a little bit about why they were going to lock us down. Um, me and Jay, we were arguing about something, I don't remember what. But we started getting really loud and my brother got tired of it, so he came in and told him to stop yelling at me and then they just started fighting.

Physically fighting?

No, no, no. So did they text each other that they were gonna fight? No. No. Jay called me and told my mom that he wanted to box it out with my brother.

According to Elizabeth, her brother Angelo was supposed to box it out with her boyfriend Jay that morning. A teenage fight meant to settle whatever tension had been building between them. Although the fight never happened and Elizabeth insists it has nothing to do with the homicide, it suggests the conflict could have been personal. Investigators will now have to follow up on this and look into Angelo's involvement before

ruling him out. But before the conversation can continue any further with Elizabeth, Jay's family arrives at the apartment. Word of the shooting has already reached them, but they still haven't received an official confirmation from police. Detective Anna Brusiaga has no choice but to break the tragic news to Jay's mother,

a moment that no amount of experience could ever prepare anyone for.

Can you tell us what's going on? Yeah, absolutely. First and foremost, I'm really sorry for your loss. ever prepare anyone for. What happened? You know, that's why I'm... So, we just got called out. That's why I'm trying to interview as many people as I can. That's why I headed here first, and I was headed your way because I do have some questions. But as of right now, I don't. Okay?

I really don't. With the devastating news delivered, Detective Anna Bruciaga tries to gather any insight from Jay's family, but they don't seem to have any. Even his mother can't imagine who would want to hurt him, leaving detectives with no clear leads or motives to work with. As investigators collect Jay's phone and prepare to leave, another woman walks into the apartment, Ortiz Chavez, looking to comfort her daughter. Detective Bruce Yaga sits down with her to collect some basic information, a casual conversation

at first, until Chavez mentions a small detail that catches the detective's attention and radar. As Chavez describes her vehicle, Detective Bruce Iaga immediately recognizes the description – a gold Toyota sedan, similar to the one caught on surveillance footage speeding away just seconds after the shooting. The connection is hard to ignore. Bruce Iaga notes the details, but decides it's too early to jump to conclusions. Wanting to verify it as quickly as possible,

she wraps up the initial interview with the family and heads out with officers to the spot where Chavez abandoned her car that morning. When they arrive, the car is nowhere to be found, and Bruce Iaga starts suspecting Chavez might be hiding something. About 40 minutes later investigators return to the apartment to interview Chavez privately and that's when things start to get interesting. By now it's only been a few hours since Jay was killed and most detectives would still be collecting statements but Bruce Iaga's instincts

tell her there's no time to waste so she sits down with Chavez and makes a bold accusation.

So here's the thing, okay? So I believe your car was used in today's homicide.

Okay?

You're lying to me.

No, I am not.

So you still think so?

That's why I'm talking to you. Detective Bruce Iaga is quick to connect the dots, suspecting that it's Chavez's car that was speeding away, but Chavez claims she abandoned it and it must have been stolen. However, the detective is about to take things one step further, because if Chavez's car was used in the murder, the next logical question is who was behind the wheel, and with what Elizabeth revealed about the planned fight that morning, there's only one name that fits.

Chavez's son, Angelo.

So what I'm getting at is that what are the odds that your son and his friends have a And Jay is now dead. And people are telling me it's your car on the scene.

But my son said he wouldn't and then they were too far. And I was with them today.

Okay. So you were with them all day?

Yes.

My son had an interview at 9 o'clock. And we were over at the Whataburger over there.

Cottonwood or whatever.

You drop him off? No. I didn't leave the Whataburger over there, Cottonwood or whatever. You drop him off?

No, I didn't leave the Whataburger.

Okay, so you waited for him to be done?

Yes, and we went back together to my house.

Okay, then you guys go back to the house.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

And he stayed there, and I lent with myself the car to go see Elizabeth.

Chavez's morning timeline only reinforces the detective's suspicions. If she really abandoned her car around 10.30 that morning and it suddenly vanished, then there's a very high chance it's the same gold Toyota caught on CCTV later when Jay was shot. Witnesses also reported seeing a young male and female inside the car. And with Shevez having both a teenage son, Angelo, and a daughter, Elizabeth, things

are starting to look very suspicious for her family. For now though, all of this remains as just early suspicion. After all, detectives know Jay had been hiding things. He was secretive and clearly mixed up in something he wasn't telling anyone about. But there's something eerily strange about Chavez's demeanor that Detective Bruce Iaga can't ignore. Even after being told her son might be involved in a homicide, she stays quiet,

almost detached. Not the kind of reaction you'd expect from a mother facing that sort of accusation. And the longer the conversation goes, the more convinced Bruce Iaga becomes that the mother sitting in front of her knows more than she's letting on. So the detective decides to take an even bigger risk this time and make an accusation that on. So, did you shoot?

No, I didn't kill him. No.

He's a kid.

He's a baby.

I know, but somebody did.

But I...

No.

But I also feel like you know more than you're telling me.

Yeah, I know.

Because, again, I'm telling you, based on your demeanor, I think you know what happened what Detective Bruciaga expects at all. Instead of breaking down or reacting defensively, she simply denies it with a sorrowful face. This response leaves Bruciaga torn between two possibilities. Either Chavez is innocent but in complete shock, struggling to process what's happening, or she's carefully keeping her composure to hide a guilty conscience and protect her children. Either way, she sticks to her story and with nothing concrete so far, the interview comes

to an end. But even without proof, Bruce Yaga can't shake the feeling that her instincts are right, that one of Jay's killers is sitting in this very apartment. With her doubts only growing, Bruce Yaga decides to move quickly and verify Chavez's version of events with the one person who can either confirm or contradict it. Her son, Angelo.

Within an hour, investigators head straight to Angelo's workplace to talk to him in person. Whatever he tells detectives will either clear his family or make things even worse for them.

So there was a shooting downtown today and somebody died. So I know that you knew him. So I think he was actually somebody that you knew because he was dating your sister. No, he's not.

He's dead.

So I just wanted to find out, um, you just a little bit.

Can you tell his grandpa? You talked to his grandpa, right?

Yeah.

Can you tell his grandpa I'm so sorry?

Okay. Yeah, for sure.

So explain to me what this whole, like, your mom and your sister explained, like, this beef between you and Jay. So explain that.

We had a problem with him physically. And like I said, we had to just react to that in the spot. And we didn't really talk after that. We just went, that's something, right?

He said, got it.

So your sister tells your mom, your mom tells you that Jay wants to fight. So when did you guys plan to meet?

I didn't plan nothing.

He assumed.

And I was just like, we're good. We had all this food.

We had all this food, we had all this food and stuff, like we're good.

He said he wanted to do it at 3 o'clock.

Today?

Yeah.

Yeah? And she, you mean your mom said?

That's what she told me. She told me that's what Jay told me. Like that's what Jay told his sister to tell me. But so long and so forth, that's what I got told last night. That you're supposed to meet?

Where were you guys supposed to meet?

He just said he wanted to fight me, he didn't talk to me in the morning, so I assumed...

You have a right to work.

Angelo confirms most of what detectives have already heard from his sister and mother, saying Jay wanted to box it out that morning, but the fight never happened. Beyond that, there isn't much new information, and his version of events lines up neatly with his mother's timeline. For now, their stories seem consistent. But until those details can be verified,

Detective Bruciaga knows she has to take everything they've said at face value. However, before investigators can dig deeper, Angelo's mother suddenly walks in and this time she's far less cooperative.

He's not even a baby. You know, I would just keep talking to him and he's having trouble.

But he's not in trouble,

so he doesn't have to be 18 for us to talk to him.

And we still own some order.

I mean, it's up to him. If he doesn't want you here, he doesn't have to have you here.

Huh?

Your sister?

Yeah, my sister.

And the bar is here.

I had to have a little pick up.

Talk to my sister.

So there is one thing that we are going to need,

just like you told with your sister, we're going to get your phone.

So we're going to secure it. I don't have a phone. I am conducting an investigation like I explained to you at Pavilion, Elizabeth.

I'm taking your phone. You're not getting the bat until I'm done with it.

But as soon as I'm done with it, I will give it back to you.

You want me to take you to go find where your phone was left?

Because we've been all over there, but we can't find it anywhere. Well, I'm going to go. it my kids get my family get home and right now my biggest concern is i just don't feel home

what's your biggest concern i don't feel home no you absolutely feel home

despite investigators attempts to convince her otherwise chavez insists on taking angelo home even if her intentions are innocent this sudden change in behavior doesn't help their case at all if anything it makes it look like an attempt to shield her son from further questioning. With the interview shut down, officers seize the family's phones, hoping digital evidence might reveal what they're not saying out loud. Back at the police station, detectives spend the next couple of weeks combing through statements,

surveillance footage and phone data. What they find begins to reshape the entire case. Among the first discoveries are text messages showing that Chavez was directly involved in arranging the so-called boxing match between her son Angelo and her daughter's boyfriend Jay. In one exchange, Elizabeth texts Jay, saying that,

Mom says they'll be there at 8. Other messages suggest there may have been a gun involved One text Elizabeth writes. I'll be there too because I don't want anything like they pull a gun out investigators also uncover signs that J and Elizabeth's relationship was Deteriorating with both of them talking about breaking up in one message J. Tells her directly I'll talk to you when it comes to the

baby but I ain't doing this with you anymore. But even more alarming were the contradictions in the family's statements. Elizabeth told detectives her boyfriend didn't leave the house until 10 that morning. Yet Jay's phone shows him texting others about Angelo not showing up as early as 8 o'clock. In one of those messages, Jay texts a friend. They didn't show. 8 o'clock, the mom said, and it's 9.

Man, her family's a bunch of a**holes, I swear. Additionally, detectives uncover another name that hadn't come up before. Elizabeth's older brother, Gilbert. In his messages, Gilbert expresses anger towards Jay and even makes promises of retaliation. By the end of the review, Detective Bruciaga becomes convinced that the entire family might be involved in planning what happened that day. Now, it's no longer a question of what happened, but who did it and exactly why.

In the days following Jay's murder, investigators were at a standstill. Because Angelo and Elizabeth are still minors, their mother refuses to let them speak with police, effectively blocking detectives from getting any answers directly from them. But 20 days after the shooting, that changes. Jay's girlfriend, Elizabeth Baldonado, turns 18 years old and her mother can no longer stop her from talking.

Detective Bruciaga seizes the opportunity and convinces her to come down to the station to see the new evidence they've uncovered, carefully leaving out that it's evidence pointing towards her own family. The goal is simple, find out who was directly involved in Jay's killing, or better yet,

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One per box with active subscription. Free meals applied as discount on first box. New subscribers only, varies by plan. That's HelloFresh.com slash DrInsanityity 10 FM to get 10 free meals and free breakfast for life. With that said, let's get back to Elizabeth's interrogation. This time, detectives plan to double down on the accusations instead of playing nice. But this will soon backfire,

because unlike her mother, Elizabeth's reaction will be very different. Now that some time has passed

and you've had time to think about it, Elizabeth, I wanna hear what happened. Because I think you know more than you told me that day.

I don't know anything.

I really don't. Why would you guys assume that?

Now, why would I know anything new about that?

Because I have your phones and I've looked through your phones.

And so I do believe you know more.

What would I know more about? About who killed him? About who did it? No, I don't know. I really don't know who did it.

If I knew who did it, I would have told you already.

So I know that you and him were having some problems and he broke up with you and you wanted to get back with him and he told you no. I will talk to you when it comes to the baby but that is it.

And he wanted nothing to do with you.

So you're assuming that I had someone do something to him?

Are you being serious? It's a question.

Okay, here's the thing, okay?

I loved him more than anything in the world. I would never do anything like that. I would never have anyone do anything like that because I loved him more than my whole life. And actually I do know that because you guys texted, I love you so much, tons.

So I do know that okay but you have to understand Elizabeth I'm investigating his homicide somebody killed him okay have you ever watched homicide shows yeah yeah okay so you have to know that if any if I see anything like that on the phone you have to know that I have to ask you these questions because at this point I have gone through your As planned, there is no small talk or warm up. I don't! I really don't! I don't know anything more than I'm telling you.

As planned, there is no small talk or warm-up. Right away, Detective Bruciaga tells Elizabeth she's not being fully honest. The approach is blunt, and it's clearly hitting a nerve as Elizabeth quickly grows defensive. But Bruciaga isn't backing off just yet. She's about to bet everything on her next move, laying out every piece of evidence she has against the family in hopes of eliciting an admission from Elizabeth.

So you brought up that your brother Gilbert had mentioned and said that he was going to send someone up there to take care of him.

But he didn't because my brother knows that if he were to do anything, I would never speak to him again or at all. I would have him part of my life at all.

So Gilbert didn't do it?

Why would my brother do it? My brother literally knows how I feel about him.

So I'm pretty sure you've been in the household and have heard conversations. Correct?

Heard what?

Anything.

Anything they talked about.

They do not talk about anything.

Okay, so where is your mom's car?

I don't know.

You're seriously assuming that one of my family members did it? Because the car is missing? She literally filed a report that her car was missing that night.

Okay, so you say you love Postaway, right? And he's the love of your life. So why are you covering for your mom and your brother?

I'm not covering for anybody! Are you fucking serious? You seriously think that they did it? Yes. My mom, my mom loved that child, too. anybody are you fucking serious you seriously think that they did it yes my mom my mom loved that child too okay maybe not she's my brother what if I told you that your mom's car is on video leaving the homicide what if I told you that how many Toyota Camrys that are gold leave in the city but what are the It's clear that Elizabeth has reached her breaking point.

Every accusation towards her family is pushing her closer to the edge. Most investigators would pull back here, take a break, try to de-escalate. But not Detective Bruce Iaga. Instead, she decides to take a bigger risk. One that's bold, but calculated. Rather than fighting Elizabeth's denials, she will lean into them.

Even agreeing that she's only trying to protect her family. In doing so, Bruce Yaga wants to make Elizabeth feel safe enough to talk and reveal what she's really hiding. It's a delicate psychological play, one that could end the interview entirely, or solve the case, right here and now.

But I'm gonna tell you right now that your mom said she drove Angelo to his interview. Guess what? Angelo said he borrowed the car from your mom and he drove himself to the interview. So obviously, somebody's lying. And I kind of understand that you don't want to see what I'm trying to tell you. No, you don't! They don't! They did not do it! Because I don't want to see You're just trying to blame somebody just so that you can get someone for the crime. I know they didn't do it because

Well, I don't know for sure but I know they wouldn't have done something like that

They know how much that would crush me and literally they have seen how much I have died these past two weeks

Okay how much I have died these past two weeks. Okay, and I'm not telling you, I'm not telling you if I find out your brother, I'm telling you when I gather up all my evidence and I arrest your brother, I hope that you didn't know more.

You guys can think however you like.

My family did not do it.

Elizabeth, you can't get out with someone

just letting you out, babe.

Elizabeth, I think you're ready to tell me more than you're telling me, okay?

No, no, I need to go. Sorry, babe.

You have to realize, Elizabeth, that somebody took your baby's dad's life, and now that baby is not gonna have a father. And as much as you love your family, they still took your baby's dad away.

Now that baby's not gonna have a dad.

I don't think I know that. This is literally all I think about every day that I'm alive, day, the worst. Can we finish talking in the conference room?

Just cause I can't hear actually.

Yeah, we can't be sitting in the hallway, Elizabeth.

I'm sorry.

This is our victim side, so.

Elizabeth's finally had enough. The weight of the questioning breaks her down, and she's emotionally exhausted. Detectives try to take advantage of the moment, hoping her vulnerability will make her open up, but Elizabeth doesn't budge. Through tears, she keeps insisting her family is innocent. With nothing useful coming from Elizabeth, the interview ends.

She's escorted out of the building building and investigators are back to square one. Still, Detective Bruce Iaga can't shake her suspicions. She knows this family is hiding something. What she hasn't figured out yet is that she's been focusing on the wrong suspects all along. Over the next couple of months, the case remains wide open.

Investigators keep digging and what they find is even more alarming. First, they learn that Chavez never followed through with her stolen vehicle report from the day of the murder. Then, while combing through phone data, detectives uncover explicit threats from Elizabeth's older brother, Gilbert, directed at Jay. In one message, Gilbert writes, he's gonna catch one, clearly hinting at plans for violence. In another text, he says, delete our messages and don't say anything about me saying I was gonna shoot him.

It wasn't me for real. I ain't trying to deal with cops. Based on these details, investigators start to speculate that Gilbert may have taken things further, possibly supplying a gun, or even using it himself to shoot Jay. Chavez, realizing what her sons had done, may have then disposed of the car to cover their tracks and build an alibi for the family.

The new findings push Gilbert to the top of the suspect list, right beside his brother Angelo. But as compelling as the theory sounds, it's still just that, a theory. The case remains strong on suspicion but weak on proof, and Detective Bruce Iaga desperately needs anything concrete from the Baldonado family. So on May 19th, 76 days after Jay's murder, Bruce Iaga and a team of officers head to

the family's house determined to confront them face-to-face And see if she can pressure someone into cracking. When the investigators arrive at the door, no one expects how quickly things will get heated

Oh, hi Gilbert. How are you?

Hi

Can I actually talk to you Gilbert?

About?

You know what it's about because you know I've already done some research. I'm going to talk to you right here in the door. Do you want to come talk to me over here? Hi Elizabeth, how are you? Good. Good? Okay. Is your mom here? She's showering. You might want to go tell your mom that I would like to talk to her again. I'm going to talk to Gilbert if he's willing to speak with me. And Gilbert, again I don't want to talk to you right here in front of the door. Do you mind coming even over here?

Yes.

So, tell me what you know.

Like I said, I just moved in here.

Okay, so I'm not going to play games with you, okay?

I know you threatened to take care of Josue.

Yeah, but I didn't do it. I think, OK, I was up here.

I can do that.

OK, so obviously you do know why I'm here and why I'm talking to you now. You want to discuss or do you want me to just take it for at face value? I already saw the Facebook.

So I'm going to do it.

Huh?

So you can do whatever I can do shit. Huh? I didn't do shit. Say you can do whatever, I didn't do shit.

Okay, so...

I didn't do shit.

Again, in your Facebook, you do disclose and say you're going to send somebody to take

care of him.

Yeah, but I didn't send nobody.

Okay, so who'd you send?

Because he died.

I didn't send nobody. I didn't send nobody.

Do I need to be any clearer? He died. Yeah, but I didn't send nobody. Mom, ain't nobody want to do it.

They're all scared.

Can I see your phone?

Can I see your phone?

Thank you.

It's a T-Mobile. OK, I'm going to take it.

I'm going to do a warrant on it, OK?

You're going to take my phone?

Yes. Again, you have to realize that I'm investigating a homicide. Okay, a homicide in which you threatened to kill my victim.

So you're going to take my phone?

Yes. I'm going to take your phone, I'm going to do a warrant on it.

If for any reason...

I'm not saying it's just a bunch of pictures, I'm saying they should want to see something, something.

But it's all that stuff. Well, I won't look at pictures, but I am interested in who you've been talking to, text messages and so on, so I am gonna do a warrant on it, okay?

With no luck getting anything useful from Gilbert, Detective Bruce Iaga cleverly confiscates his phone, hoping it might hold the evidence she needs but still can't prove. As this is happening, Chavez is seen stepping outside and speaking briefly with officers. She looks like she's in a hurry to leave. Not willing to let the moment slip away, Detective Bruciaga plans to intercept and confront her about the boxing match she helped organize to see how she reacts when cornered.

This time however, Chavez isn't the same calm, collected woman from before. What Bruciaga gets instead is a very different side of her.

I like it. I love you.

I love you too.

Can I talk to you really fast? I actually catch the bus, so I mean, you've got five minutes of my time.

Okay. Thank you Gilbert.

Thank you for speaking with me.

Have a good day.

We'll check in with you before you contact us again.

Hi Elizabeth.

Hi. I know you're going to be quick and all all but so you know why I'm here. Okay, I don't I don't got to repeat myself. I don't I don't want to repeat myself.

I don't want to play games. Okay. information number from when I called because I called that same evening.

And yeah, you did you didn't report your car.

I did.

Yes, I already know. Okay, you know what? I'm not trying to be mean with you, but this is the confirmation number. So why did, why did you set up a fight between Angelo and Josue? No, no, no, no. Yes, you did. No, no, no. He called to the house. He was asking for a fight. I was like, wait a minute. What do you want to do what? I was like, are you serious? It was either that or you want to sit there and do some stupid things.

I'm not trying to have stupid things going between those boys. Those boys need to learn how to get along.

Like I said, I have phones. I already know which, when you called it in, you never fully followed through.

I did. I waited for them to get here. Okay. Do you have it was in the vehicle I didn't get to register the car or anything. You've had the car since before January Yeah, and I also had to get an alternative for it You know how much money it takes just for me to save for just a little bit a few things But the little boy he called he wanted to make the fight, right? I'm not saying what I'm not saying who sweat didn't set the fight but you let them know and you set up the fight because they were gonna fight that morning

No, because they had to know about this is what's going on when your sister's left it. What do you guys think about this? Yeah, I'd let them know because they needed to know because that's not right. So I'm gonna tell you something. Okay? Yeah, my five minutes. I'm done. Okay. Well, I'm gonna tell you something

Okay when I charge someone, you're gonna be charged along because I know you're hiding the truth and I know you're listening to me and it would suck for Aurora and Elizabeth's baby to not be present, for you not to be present because I will charge you because I do know

you were gonna set up that fight that day.

The end.

Young lady, I'm sorry, I'm not getting my phone.

Bob, can I talk to you?

I got it off your daughter's phone. Clearly, Chavez is done talking as she storms off the scene angry and defensive. But in her frustration, she lets something slip, admitting that she knew about the fight between Jay and her sons. Though she insists it was all Jay's idea. Before leaving the house, Bruciaga tries once more to speak with Elizabeth to see if she's finally ready to tell the truth.

How you been Elizabeth?

Fine.

Are you still pregnant?

Yeah.

Yeah?

How far along are you?

Well, from my menstrual cycle she said 14 weeks at seven days.

So Elizabeth, you know, we talked last time and I know you were very upset and I can't imagine what you're going through because you're kind of put in between, but I already know you know what happened.

I mean, I don't. I don't know what happened at all.

All I know is that when his grandpa got back,

he told me that Jay was dead.

I would just hate, and I truly, from the bottom of my heart, still believe that you weren't involved. But I would just hate to find out that you were involved, and then where does that baby go, because he no longer has a dad. That day, there was a witness that describes a female matching your exact description, talking to Josue right before he gets shot.

I was at the house.

Okay, do you realize how close you live?

I was literally cleaning.

Again, Elizabeth, listen to me.

And then when his grandpa came home, he walked in on me washing the dishes.

You're not gonna change my mind because I mean is it weird that she

lives here and she knows nothing? Elizabeth you have to think about, can I talk to you for a sec Elizabeth? What? Can I say something else? We're not trying to you know upset you anymore than you already are or anything like that but you have to think about how when this case goes to court, one, when people get arrested for things like this they don't care if it's family, friends or whoever else they can or will throw under the bus to try to get themselves a better deal.

When this goes to court and a jury of six, or I'm sorry, 12 random people, don't worry about what I think about it, don't worry about what Ana thinks about it,

think about what those 12 people think about it.

You've got to think about what's best for him or her. With Elizabeth repeating the same story as before and no progress made, the officers decide to leave, but Bruce Iaga gives the family a promise, the next time she comes back it won't be for questions. It'll be with a warrant. A month later, on June 15th, investigators finally get the break they've been waiting for. Cell tower data definitively places Angelo's phone at the scene of the murder at 11.20

AM, the same time Jay was killed, directly contradicting his earlier alibi that he was home with his mother. With this new evidence, a warrant is secured for Angelo's arrest and Bruciaga returns to the Baldonado residence, just as she promised. That afternoon, 16 year old Angelo Baldonado is arrested and charged with murder. Now with the prime suspect finally in custody, police have the

chance to interview him without his mother intervening. Bruce Yaga hopes this will be the moment they get to close the case for good. But to her surprise, Angelo isn't about to make that easy because this time he has an escape plan of his own. Hey Angela. I'm gonna steal that chair, sorry. Is my mom gonna be here soon?

Is your mom gonna be here?

Was she driving down here?

Oh, she was sucking one of the people that was there.

Oh, at the house?

I was at the office, sorry, I was no longer at the house.

She should be coming.

So she should be coming.

Okay.

She should be coming.

So she should be coming. Okay.

And if not, like, hey guys, she should be coming.

She should? Okay. So you do remember me, and I actually do know you remember me because you were like, can I talk to Anna? So, but again, I am Anna Bruseaga. De Piti, this is my partner. So, Angelo, because you are a minor, I am gonna read you your rights and where's-

I just want my mom here, that's what I mean. Not any questions, just if I was a minor, I would talk to my mom about it.

So you want your mom here while I read you your rights as well?

Yeah, I want her for the whole thing.

For the whole thing? Okay. At this time you are going to get booked for your warrant. Okay. What exactly is the warrant? It's a homicide warrant. Oh, why are you doing this? Okay, again, you know, because you said that you wanted to speak to me with your mom, I can't ask you questions. At this point I am booking you for the homicide warrant and that's all I can do."

It's certainly not the response Detective Bruce Iago was hoping for, but it's hardly surprising. After months of his mother keeping him away from investigators, Angelo refuses to speak without his mother or a lawyer present. With no cooperation and no confession, there is nothing more detectives can do. Angelo is booked into the county's juvenile detention center, held without bond while

prosecutors prepare to take the case to trial. For now, he's the only family member officially tied to the crime, and investigators believe they've finally got Jay's killer behind bars. But what no one has caught on to yet is that Angelo isn't the one who pulled the trigger. He's just a scapegoat taking the fall for a killer who's still free and quietly getting away with murder. A full year passes since Jay was tragically killed. His pregnant girlfriend, Elizabeth Baldonado, gives birth to his son in November 2022. Her social media posts show a young woman trying to rebuild her life, sharing photos

of her baby, spending time with friends, and appearing to move on in a new relationship. On the surface, it seems like life is slowly returning to normal. Meanwhile, her brother Angelo remains in juvenile detention awaiting trial. The case seems closed and Jay's family begins to find closure, believing justice has finally been served. That is until out of nowhere police receive a phone call that changes everything. In March of 2023 a woman contacts detectives claiming she's been talking to Elizabeth's

older brother Gilbert on Facebook, and according to her, he's just confessed to knowing exactly and I was able to see that Kibby was pretty hateful towards his mom and so I figured maybe I could get him

to say something about it so I messaged him. Why is your brother locked up? Because my mom and him went to go fight my sister's baby daddy because he beat her and when they got there my sister's baby daddy tried to pull out a gun but he got hit before he could even get his gun

but they put the murder on my brother. I said, that's real dumb. Why they put it on your brother? He said supposedly witnesses were there and said it was him. And they say they also got video and that it looks like him in the video. But you can't see.

All you see is a big ass group and then everybody scatters. I said, what the your mom didn't tell nobody, it wasn't him. He said, nope. He said, the crazy part is my little brother ain't telling on my mom. I said, so your mom did it and let your brother go down? And he said, yep. I said, have you tried to tell your brother to tell?

He said, yeah, but he tells me no. But that's how we was raised.

No matter what the situation is, don't tell. and if we do we got to face consequences." Needless to say, Gilbert's confession changes everything. Detectives already suspected Chavez's involvement in arranging the boxing fight, but no one imagined she was the one who pulled the trigger. Investigators begin to theorize that Chavez may have orchestrated the entire thing, luring Jay to the alley under the guise of a fight with her son, only to end it herself with a single shot to the alley under the guise of a fight with her son, only to end it herself with a single

shot to the head. But despite what sounds like a breakthrough, Detective Bruce Iaga knows she can't move too fast. Arresting Chavez now, based only on Gilbert's second-hand confession, could jeopardize the entire case. Without solid evidence, Chavez will be innocent in the eyes of the law.

Over the next few months, investigators work quietly, monitoring jail calls between Chavez and her son Angelo. Most of the conversations are vague, small talk, cautious wording, but in one of the calls Chavez makes an...interesting statement. When Angelo asks why his brother Gilbert looks sad, Chavez replies, He's heartbroken you're in there.

I told him it's because I f***ed up, because I'm stupid, period. Hearing what sounds like an admission of guilt, Detective Bruce Yaga seizes the opportunity and visits Angelo at the detention center, hoping this time she can finally get the truth. When she meets with him, she doesn't have to do much convincing, because Angelo is already prepared to make a deal and save himself.

Is there a question for me?

If everything would happen the way it's happening right now, would I be at least the first to be dropped on? So we'd know a way to work around it?

So if you're wanting to now give a statement, we can definitely schedule an appointment where it's me, you, and the attorney,

and then I'm more than willing to talk to you then.

After Angelo agrees to cooperate, detectives quickly arrange a formal interview with him and his attorney present. Angelo ends up corroborating his brother Gilbert's confession, confirming that it was his mother who pulled the trigger and drove away from the scene.

With both sons telling the same story, there's only one crucial piece missing to solve the case. A confession from Chavez herself. Without her own words, the defense could argue that the boys are lying or that their statements were coerced. A few days later, an arrest warrant is issued, and Chavez is taken into custody.

Detective Bruce Iaga brings her into an interrogation room determined to secure an admission, not through confrontation this time, but through empathy. If the plan works, they'll finally close the case for good. But if Chavez sees through it, the interview will be over before it even begins.

I know that you obviously recognize me because we've met in the past more than once, okay? And regardless of what happened then, I'm not going to be rude to you, I'm not going to be disrespectful to you even though in the past, well, you weren't the nicest, right? But you're here and I'm not going be rude, and I expect the same too.

Fair?

Obviously I know you were visiting Angelo. I know you were visiting Angelo. How's he doing?

He's okay?

How are you doing?

I'm okay. Yeah. Okay. How are you doing? Awful. I stayed in there for nothing. He didn't do anything wrong. And I mean just in general.

Just because you already know why you're here, you've been in handcuffs, you've been in the

back of the cop car.

Just now.

Yeah.

I'm going to read you your rights, okay? Just for your pleasure.

I'm going to try right now.

Okay, fair enough. Been in the back of the cop car just now. Yeah, I'm gonna read you your rights. Okay

Okay

With that being said what's gonna happen now is I'm gonna stop this interview. You're going to jail on two warrants okay, you do have an open-count murder warrant and you do have

And I have to look at that one to read you the exact...

It's...

Warrant.

Okay.

And that's not mine.

It's not for me to discuss. But that's what one of the warrant is for.

Okay?

Unfortunately, things don't go according to plan. The moment Chavez realizes where the conversation is heading, she immediately shuts down the interview and asks for a lawyer. From here on, it's up to the court to decide whether the evidence against her is enough to prove what everybody already suspects. At the trial, prosecutors present the full scope of the case.

Phone records, surveillance footage of Chavez's car, the brothers' confessions, and the jail call recordings. They argue that Chavez disapproved of brother's confessions, and the jail call recordings. They argue that Chavez disapproved of the relationship between her daughter and Jay, and was motivated by anger over how he treated her. They also believe she calculated that her teenage son would face lighter consequences if he took the blame. As for her other children, Elizabeth and Gilbert, investigators

determined that neither had any direct role in the shooting. Elizabeth in particular is found to have had no knowledge of her mother's deadly intentions. She withheld some information to protect her family, but was ultimately determined to be a victim caught in the middle. Eventually, Angelo Balbinato pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit first degree murder and assault with intent to commit a felony, and is sentenced to remain in juvenile detention until age 21. His mother, Chavez, pleads guilty to second-degree murder and, in May 2025, receives the maximum

penalty of 18 years in state prison. Chavez is also facing a separate charge related to child exploitation material found on her Chavez is also facing a separate charge related to child exploitation material found on her tablet during the investigation.