A suspect was arrested Wednesday in the death of a 27-year-old woman whose burning body was found nearly two years ago on the side of a freeway in Bakersfield hours after she left a San Fernando bar.
Karla Terron, the mother of two young boys, was found dead Dec. 17, 2022 on the side of the 99 Freeway in the community about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.
Early Wednesday, a suspect identified as 30-year-old Juan Figueroa, of San Fernando, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of Terron. Authorities said additional arrests are possible in connection with the killing.
On December 17, 2022, the deceased body of Karla Terron was discovered on the southbound State Route 99 freeway, Hosking Avenue off ramp, in the early morning hours. Please see the link below for further.https://t.co/h1AXEGIFZk pic.twitter.com/0YMoKDHPPb
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) April 16, 2024
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Terron's body was on fire when she was found at about 5 a.m. on the southbound side of the 99 Freeway near Hosking Road.
"Despite attempts to destroy evidence by setting her body on fire, the coroner determined that the cause of death was multiple stab wounds," the sheriff's department said in a statement.
Terron was seen Dec. 16, 2022 at a VFW Post in the 100 block of North Hagar Street in San Fernando, about 90 miles from where her body was discovered the next day. Terron had met friends at the San Fernando VFW, then went to a home in the northern San Fernando Valley community where authorities said she was killed.
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Security cameras showed Figueroa and Terron together that night, authorities said.
Earlier this year, the sheriff's department held a press conference to announce that a 2021 Honda CRV was used to transport Terron's body from San Fernando to Bakersfield, where it was found engulfed in flames on the side of the road. Investigators found DNA evidence that indicated Terron body's had been in the rear cargo compartment.
A photo of the SUV was displayed at a sheriff's department news conference. The car did not belong to Figueroa, but was owned by someone identified as a person of interest in the case.
Figueroa was arrested at a home early Wednesday when homicide detectives served a warrant at about 5 a.m. in the 1500 block of Knox Street in San Fernando.
"We had members of our special enforcement bureau, who had to go in," said Lt. Michael Modica, of the LA County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. "It was without incident. He did not resist, and he was taken into custody without incident."
He was booked suspicion of murder and being held on $1 million bond.
Details about a motive in the killing were not immediately available. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office for filing consideration.
An initial court date was not immediately available.
