SAN LUIS, Ariz. – A gruesome discovery at a convenience store in San Luis. A woman in a pool of blood, in broad daylight.
San Luis Police Department Detective Miguel Barron said, “Police were dispatched to a man down at Oasis, they found a female laying on the ground with multiple stab wounds to her face and chest area.”
It was January 25, 2002.
The victim was 36-year-old Cecilia Madrid.
Detectives say there was a lot of foot traffic near the store that day. Oasis is located on Juan Sanchez Boulevard, behind what is now Family Dollar.
Barron said, “Usually agricultural people would buy their goods there before they went to work, usually the store would open around four in the morning.”
A man and woman had gone into the store to purchase some items and it appeared to be empty inside. They couldn’t find the clerk.
Barron said, “The male subject looked behind the counter and found the lady laying on the ground full of blood. The woman ran out of the store and called police.”
Barron estimates the woman had been there for up to an hour before she was discovered.
Barron said, “It’s been 14 years since this case went cold and nothing has come up. Based on what I’ve read, I don’t see it as someone demanding money. It could’ve been someone close, not sure who and I couldn’t tell you what was the motive.”
There are no descriptions of a suspect. The store didn’t have a surveillance camera and there were no witnesses who saw someone leaving the store. Detectives say all that was left at the crime scene was a shoe print in the puddle of blood.
Barron said, “Since this incident occurred at almost noon, someone must have seen something. It’s kind of impossible that no one saw anything, there was a trailer park in the area.”
Madrid’s husband Gilberto worked with her at the convenience store.
Barron said, “Her husband would like some closure as to what happened to her. It’s very important to get this person off the street because we don’t know if he committed another crime like it. We don’t know who he is at this time yet, but we would like to apprehend him.”