Authorities in Alabama have confirmed the recovery of a mother and her two children who had been missing since late January, bringing a tragic conclusion to a search that spanned several weeks. The victims were discovered buried together in a wooded area of Baldwin County, according to law enforcement officials.
The victims have been identified as 40-year-old Aurelia Choc Cac, her 17-year-old daughter Niurka Zuleta Choc, and her 2-year-old son Anthony Garcia Choc. The family was last seen alive on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, sparking a missing persons investigation that eventually transitioned into a homicide case.
The discovery was made on Wednesday in Summerdale, Alabama, where investigators located the bodies in a wooded area off Downing Road. According to a criminal complaint, the victims had been wrapped in plastic and bedding before being buried. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI, held a press conference on Thursday, March 12, to provide details on the findings.
Discovery and Forensic Details in Baldwin County
The recovery operation in Summerdale revealed a scene that officials described as devastating. Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood characterized the killings as a “horrific and gruesome murder.”
Forensic evidence detailed in the criminal complaint indicates that the family was killed with an “edged weapon.” Investigators reported that 2-year-old Anthony suffered sharp-force trauma to the head, while Aurelia sustained sharp-force injuries to her chest and back. While the physical evidence has established the cause of death, the specific motive behind the killings remains under active investigation.
During the press conference, Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch expressed the difficulty of comprehending the violence directed toward the youngest victim, asking, “What motive would there be for killing a 2-year-old? We don’t know.”
Investigation of the Theodore Home
The investigation began at the family’s residence in Theodore, where authorities initially searched for clues regarding their disappearance. Sheriff Burch noted that there were no immediate signs of forced entry at the home, suggesting the victims may have known their assailant or were taken by surprise.
However, the interior of the house told a different story. Investigators discovered blood throughout the residence and found evidence that a struggle had occurred. While the victims’ cash and cell phones were left behind—suggesting that robbery was not the primary motive—officials noted that a clothes hamper and a mattress were missing from the property.
Legal Proceedings and Suspect Charges
The primary suspect in the case, Hector Argueta-Guerra, was initially charged with the kidnapping of the family from their Theodore home. Following the discovery of the bodies in Baldwin County, those charges have been upgraded to murder.
The case is being handled through a multi-agency effort involving the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, HSI, and the FBI, reflecting the severity of the crime and the need for comprehensive forensic and investigative resources. The transition from a missing persons case to a triple homicide underscores the violent nature of the encounter that took place in late January.
As the legal process moves forward, investigators continue to analyze the evidence gathered from both the residence in Theodore and the burial site in Summerdale to build a complete timeline of the events leading up to the family’s deaths.
The investigation remains ongoing. The next scheduled step in the legal process will be the further processing of evidence and upcoming court appearances for Hector Argueta-Guerra as the murder charges proceed.
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