Leticia Reyes Found Dead In SUV; Toddlers Alive With Mom's Body

[Whisper]

Jose Acevedo

Body, toddlers found in SUV in Sapulpa
May 11 2012

Sapulpa police say the body of a woman was found in the floorboard of a SUV in Creek County.

Police say the woman’s body was found in the back seat floor of a SUV parked at 81st and Frankoma Road. Police say a two and three-year old were in the car with the body. The children are now in state custody.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations says a woman saw the car this morning and did not think anything of it, but called authorities when the car was still there later. Investigators say the woman's death looks suspicious. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
[...]

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/stor...XSs3CCY8g.cspx

Woman's body found in SUV with her 2 sons locked in; cause unclear, police pursue as homicide
May 11 2012
Authorities release name of woman found dead in SUV

Investigators have identified a woman who was found dead in an SUV near Sapulpa and are working to reconstruct her final hours, authorities said.

Leticia Melendez Reyes, 26, of Tulsa was found about 1 p.m. Tuesday slumped over the steering wheel off Frankoma Road north of 81st Street. Her two sons were locked inside the vehicle but unharmed, authorities said.
She had no signs of trauma, but investigators consider the death suspicious because the circumstances are unclear, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.
The Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine a cause of death and authorities will continue to investigate it as a homicide until that can be ruled out, Brown said.
[...]
“What we’re trying to do is find out what she was doing around the time she died - anything we can do to piece together a timeline.”
Reyes filed a protective order May 2 against her then-boyfriend Jose Acevedo, alleging that he strangled her April 30 and threatened to kill her if she left him.
Brown could not say whether Acevedo is a suspect but said authorities planned to interview Reyes’ friends and relatives to find “what and who is out of the ordinary.”

Reyes’ sons, who had been in the SUV for at least several hours, were taken into Department of Human Services custody, authorities said.
Her parents are traveling from Mexico to work with child welfare authorities, the OSBI reported.
Reyes’ protective order names a 2-year-old and 1-year-old boy as co-petitioners. Both share Acevedo’s last name, according to the document.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialpro...0_Author744847

OSBI names person of interest in Creek County death
May 12 2012

Investigators have identified a person of interest in connection to a woman found dead in an SUV in Creek County.

OSBI identified the woman as Leticia Melendez Reyes. Her body was found in an SUV at 81st and Frankoma Road in Sapulpa on May 8th. Her two sons, ages two and three, were found in the SUV with her.

OSBI, Creek County investigators, and Tulsa County Deputies served a search warrant at the Tulsa apartment that Reyes shared with Jose Acevedo. Agents want to talk Acevedo about his relationship with Reyes and determine a timeline for her death. OSBI says Reyes filed an emergency protective order against Acevedo on May 2nd.
[...]

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/stor...4wXWoJwBg.cspx

[Tundratot]

The first article mentions the two children in the car with her were 2 and 3 years old. The second mentions co-petitioners with the same last name as her BF but their ages are 1 and 2. So, either the children with her look older than they are, or there might have been two others (or just one) that were kidnapped? As I think on it, it seems more likely the first scenario, since the reports all say her children were with her. I'd think they'd say if one or more were missing. Especially since the relatives from Mexico would have known how many she had.

[Aena]

Or she was granted the order when they were at that age, and that is the age that is listed on the order?

[Tundratot]

Reyes filed a protective order May 2 against her then-boyfriend Jose Acevedo, alleging that he strangled her April 30 and threatened to kill her if she left him. . . . Reyes’ protective order names a 2-year-old and 1-year-old boy as co-petitioners. Both share Acevedo’s last name, according to the document.

So, unless the May 2 in question was last year, it seems unlikely both boys had a birthday since then.

[Silvahalo]

I know it's assuming but seems pretty obvious who did it.

Reyes filed a protective order May 2 against her then-boyfriend Jose Acevedo, alleging that he strangled her April 30 and threatened to kill her if she left him.
Brown could not say whether Acevedo is a suspect but said authorities planned to interview Reyes’ friends and relatives to find “what and who is out of the ordinary.”

Really awful. I hope the babies didn't witness their mother dying.
Rest in peace Leticia Melendez Reyes.

[Tundratot]

I hope the babies didn't witness their mother dying.

Only two ways that could have happened: 1) They were asleep in the back when it went down; or 2) the back of the seat obstructed their view. It's truly horrifying that their father (or one their fathers, anyway) probably did this to their mother and left them -- left them in possible danger, at that. I don't know which is worse: that he might have taken them or that he did leave them.