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Police release more details on Saratoga Springs homicide, continue to search for victim’s husband

A woman reported missing out of Saratoga Springs last week has been found dead. The case is being investigated as a homicide and police are searching for her husband, also recently reported as missing, as a person of interest.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (ABC4) — A woman reported missing out of Saratoga Springs last week has been found dead. The case is being investigated as a homicide and police are searching for her husband, also recently reported as missing, as a person of interest.

On Tuesday afternoon, Saratoga Springs Chief of Police Andrew Burton spoke on the case and how it developed from a missing persons case into a homicide investigation.

He stated that Alvaro Jose Urbina Rojas left to take his wife, Jeusselem Elieth Genes Vitola, to work on Thursday, February 26, around 10:15 a.m. However, Jeusselem never made it to work. Then, hours later, she and Urbina Rojas had not arrived home, and family became concerned.

Their family called law enforcement for a welfare check. However, according to Burton, the family initially believed that the couple had been detained by ICE and did not suspect foul play or that they were in danger.

Burton noted that Vitola and Urbina Rojas have been married for 19 years and came to the United States from Venezuela approximately ten years ago with their two children. In the time that they have been here, officials say there have been no reports of domestic violence or threats between the two individuals.

During the investigation, family has told law enforcement that Urbina Rojas and Vitola have recently had some arguments and had discussed divorce, but that the arguments were not violent, and that neither individual appeared to have conflicts with other individuals. Burton added that the family has been very cooperative and forthcoming with information at this time.

Saratoga Springs Police Department reportedly pinged Jeusselem and Urbina Rojas’s phones after they were reported missing. While Jeusselem’s phone did not ping, Urbina Rojas’s phone pinged in the Draper area.

Additionally, family went to search a camp trailer belonging to Urbina Rojas, but it was locked. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on that camp trailer.

On Tuesday morning, Saratoga Springs Police Department announced that they found Jeusselem’s body in the camp trailer. While her cause of death has not yet been determined, officials say this is being investigated as a homicide.

Officials are now searching for Urbina Rojas as a person of interest in the homicide and believe he has left Utah and is now in California. Traffic camera footage showed Urbina Rojas’s vehicle, a 2005 gray Toyota Sequoia with Utah license plate number T409YB, in St. George and Las Vegas on Thursday night and in California.

Additionally, there have been financial transactions made on cards belonging to Urbina Rojas at businesses in California.

Burton says that they do have more specific locations within in California where they believe Urbina Rojas is, though they are not disclosing that information publicly. He added that they are actively working with local and national partners, including Draper Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

At this time, officials do not believe that Urbina Rojas has left the country. They are asking for the public’s help in locating him.

Alvaro Jose Urbina Rojas is described as a 57-year-old man from Venezuela. He is 5 foot 9 inches tall and he weighs 193 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

If you have any information regarding Alvaro Rojas or his vehicle, please contact Detective Llorens at the police department at (801) 766-6503 or (385) 364-1001 and reference case number 26SS02396.

Additionally, Burton says law enforcement are actively interviewing family members and potential witnesses, in addition to executing multiple search warrants. However, the investigation is still very active and ongoing. They are not releasing any additional information at this time.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as more information becomes available.