MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A South Florida woman and her boyfriend were arrested Wednesday in connection with the murder of the woman's mother, authorities said.
Miami-Dade police said they were called to a home Wednesday morning in the area of Southwest 127th Place and 224th Street to conduct a welfare check.
Authorities were unable to make contact with anyone inside, but the victim's daughter, Sasha Gonzalez, 29, soon arrived at the home and allowed officers inside to search for her mother.
Local 10 News reporter Alex Finnie was at the scene as detectives removed a shovel that was wrapped in a brown bag and other items. A car was also towed from the driveway.
"They're nervous obviously, (because of) the rumors that are going on," one neighbor said. "You know what they say: 'Where there's smoke, there's fire.' So apparently something happened."
According to an arrest report, officers found burned clothing in the front yard of the home, apparent bones in a trash bin in the front of the house and a large, charred area in the side yard.
Police said officers also smelled bleach in the air throughout the home and saw open cleaning containers in the victim's bedroom.
According to the arrest report, Sasha Gonzalez told detectives her mother had been hurting her and she had paid someone $50 to hurt her mother. She said she didn't know that person would kill her mother, police said.
The victim was identified by relatives as Hilda Gonzalez.
Police said Sasha Gonzalez told them she, her boyfriend, Yancel Castillo, 30, and Castillo's brother, Santy Castillo, got into an argument with her mother on Friday regarding Santi Castillo repeatedly spending the night at her home without her consent.
Relatives said they had warned Hilda Gonzalez about the people who were staying at her home.
The arrest report stated the victim was sleeping in her locked bedroom Sunday night before she was killed. Details about the killing were redacted from the report.
Sasha Gonzalez was arrested on charges of first-degree murder and attempting to tamper with physical evidence.
Yancel Castillo faces charges of being an accessory after the fact, attempting to tamper with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse, although details about his alleged involvement in the crime were also redacted from his arrest report that was released to the media.
Both are being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Authorities said they are interviewing Santi Castillo to determine whether he had any involvement in the murder.