Who killed Maria Telles-Gonzalez? Person of interest sought in decades-old murder
ORLANDO, Fla. - Authorities are seeking a person of interest in the decades-old murder of a woman who was only recently identified through advanced DNA technology and genealogy research.
The woman's body was found in a South Carolina drainage ditch in May 1995, but it was not until December 2022 that investigators identified her as 36-year-old Maria Telles-Gonzalez, of Kissimmee, Florida. A wife and mother of three, Telles-Gonzalez was never reported missing. The case remains unsolved as detectives have been unable to identify a suspect, but they do have leads on a possible witness.
When a state highway department worker discovered Telles-Gonzalez's body in a Beaufort County drainage ditch, she was wearing only her underwear, and there were no signs of her purse, identification, or any other belongings. Detectives determined that Telles-Gonzalez died from strangulation, and they believe she was murdered in Florida and her body was transported to South Carolina.
The body of Maria Telles-Gonzalez was discovered in a South Carolina ditch in 1995, but it was only until December 2022 that she was positively identified. [Credit: Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement]
In December 2020, cold case investigators turned to a Virginia firm that specializes in forensic genealogy, which produced a list of potential distant relatives. A lead did not surface until October 2022 – a possible biological son of the unidentified victim. After the man was contacted and consented to DNA testing, a parent-child match was confirmed.
Telles-Gonzalez was last seen by her husband and three children in May 1995. Through interviews with family members, it was learned that the day after Telles-Gonzalez returned from a trip to Puerto Rico5, she left her Merrimack Drive home and never returned. Investigators said she left without her vehicle, and a suitcase was also missing.
Investigators have identified a possible witness known only as Carlos, who was believed to have been an Orlando area resident at the time of Telles-Gonzalez's disappearance. Investigators are now requesting help locating Carlos and have provided old photographs as well as age-progression images.
The body of Maria Telles-Gonzalez was discovered in a South Carolina ditch in 1995, but it was only until December 2022 that she was positively identified. Authorities are searching for a possible witness known only as Carlos. [Credit: Florida Dept.
Carlos is Hispanic and believed to be between 5 feet, 8 inches, and 5 feet, 10 inches tall. People familiar with Carlos said he is bilingual, speaking both Spanish and English.
The investigation into the murder of Maria is ongoing and active. If you have information about the murder of Maria Telles-Gonzalez or the identification or whereabouts of Carlos, please contact Beaufort County cold case investigator Bob Bromage at 843-816-8013.