Decapitation suspect from Orange County captured in Mexico, returned to U.S. to face charges

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An Anaheim woman, after five months on the run, has been captured in Mexico and returned to Orange County to face murder charges in the decapitation of her boyfriend. Alyssa Marie Lira, 23, faces charges of murder and felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon in the slaying of 55-year-old Enrique Gonzalez-Carbajal, whose headless body was found by authorities inside her Anaheim home.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in tracking down suspects who flee across international borders, as well as the severity of domestic violence crimes and the need for continued vigilance in protecting vulnerable victims.

The details

After the discovery of the body on Aug. 25, Anaheim homicide detectives focused their investigation on Lira and identified her as the murder suspect, and learned in the immediate aftermath of the slaying, she crossed the border. According to investigators, she only knew the victim for two months, and so far, they have termed it as a domestic violence killing. Working with the FBI in Mexico, Mexican authorities, and the Orange County district attorney's office, investigators tracked Lira to a home south of the border where she was apprehended. On Jan. 22, Mexican authorities turned her over to investigators at the San Ysidro border checkpoint.

• On Aug. 25, the headless body of Enrique Gonzalez-Carbajal was found by authorities inside Lira's Anaheim home.
• In the immediate aftermath of the slaying, Lira crossed the border into Mexico.
• On Jan. 22, Mexican authorities turned Lira over to investigators at the San Ysidro border checkpoint.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Lira is scheduled to appear in a Fullerton courtroom on Feb. 13 to enter a plea to the charges. She is now in Orange County jail on a no-bail hold and faces 25 years to life if convicted.