A Texas Fugitive accused of killing her three-year-old daughter has been captured in Mexico after nearly three decades. Maria Narez, now 48, disappeared before prosecutors could bring her capital murder case to trial. Authorities arrested Narez in 1996 after investigating the death of her daughter, Kasandra L. White. However, she later disappeared while free on bond and remained outside the United States.
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office announced Narez’s capture following a coordinated international law enforcement operation. Authorities took her into custody Saturday after investigators tracked her to Mexico. The operation involved several American agencies and Mexican authorities working together to locate the longtime fugitive.
Investigators originally accused Narez of fatally assaulting her three-year-old daughter during the 1996 case. Court records allege that Narez shook the child, struck her with an unidentified object, and threw her against a wall. Prosecutors subsequently pursued a capital murder charge connected to the child’s death.
After her arrest, a judge initially set Narez’s bail at $500,000. The court reduced that amount to $25,000 one day later. Her release conditions included electronic monitoring and regular drug testing. Authorities also prohibited her from having contact with children younger than 17.
A grand jury indicted Narez on capital murder charges in April 1997. Prosecutors then indicated that they were prepared to move forward with the case. However, Narez remained free while awaiting further proceedings and eventually disappeared.
On Aug. 28, 1997, Narez’s bondsman informed the court that he could no longer reach her. He also told officials that he did not know where she had gone. Consequently, a judge issued a warrant for her arrest that same day.
Court records later showed that officials forfeited Narez’s bond on Oct. 7, 1997. Authorities also issued another arrest warrant after she failed to appear. A handwritten notation on the record indicated that officials had not executed that warrant.
Narez subsequently left the United States and remained a fugitive for nearly 30 years. Throughout that period, authorities continued seeking information that could lead investigators to her location. The district attorney’s office said investigators never abandoned efforts to return her to Texas.
The investigation eventually involved multiple federal and international agencies. Mexico Interpol worked alongside the U.S. Marshals Service’s Mexico Foreign Field Office. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department assisted with the international investigation.
Local investigators from the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office also contributed to the operation. Their combined efforts ultimately resulted in Narez’s capture in Mexico. Authorities now expect the case to return to the Texas court system.
The district attorney’s office emphasized that Narez must still face the allegations against her. Her capture does not establish guilt, and the capital murder accusation remains a criminal charge. Prosecutors will have to present their evidence as the case moves forward.
Narez’s return to Texas will depend on extradition procedures between Mexico and the United States. Once authorities complete those proceedings, she is expected to return to Tarrant County. Prosecutors can then continue the case that began with her arrest nearly three decades ago.
The Texas Fugitive case highlights the difficulties investigators can face when suspects disappear across international borders. Nevertheless, cooperation between American and Mexican authorities eventually brought Narez back into custody. The development also gives prosecutors an opportunity to pursue the long-delayed capital murder case.
For investigators, Narez’s capture closes one chapter of a decades-long search. However, the legal proceedings surrounding her daughter’s death still remain ahead. Authorities are expected to continue pursuing the case as Narez returns to Texas to face the charges.
