Inside the Maria Muñoz murder case: A look at the evidence
Maria Muñoz, a young and healthy Texas mother, died unexpectedly. A toxicology report later revealed seven different surgical drugs were found in her system. Was it murder or a terrible accident? The evidence presented at Joel Pellot's trial for the murder of his wife tells a different story from what he told police happened the day Muñoz died.
Sept. 22, 2020
Muñoz, 31, a stay-at-home mother, lived in Laredo, Texas, with her two young sons and her husband, Pellot. On Sept. 22, 2020, Pellot called 911 saying Muñoz may have taken some prescription pills and was not breathing. First responders tried to save her but after failed attempts, Muñoz was declared dead at 3:58 a.m. that day. The first officer on the scene, Gregorio De La Cruz, told "48 Hours" that Pellot's behavior seemed suspicious and certain aspects about the scene didn't quite make sense.
Police bodycam video
When Officer De La Cruz from the Laredo Police Department responded to the 911 call, his bodycam was recording. Pellot, a nurse anesthetist, is seen dressed in teal surgical scrubs. The video captured some key moments that made De La Cruz suspect that Pellot may have had something to do with his wife's death.
The pill container
One of those key moments was when De La Cruz asked for the pills Pellot said Muñoz had taken. Pellot went to the bathroom and De La Cruz says he heard him pull a container from the medicine cabinet. De La Cruz thought it was odd because in his experience when someone overdoses on drugs, they are usually found near the person. In this case, the clonazepam pills prescribed to Pellot, were in another room.
Later, Pellot is seen on camera grabbing the pill container from the floor and putting it in his pocket. De La Cruz wondered, why would he take the pills back? Was he hiding something?
Suspicious behavior
In addition to Pellot putting the pills in his pocket, there was something about his appearance that De La Cruz said seemed suspicious. De La Cruz observed Pellot sweating profusely through his scrubs, and De La Cruz said he seemed like he may have been under the influence of drugs.
Evidence at the scene
De La Cruz also found a needle catheter on the stairs at the couple's home. This didn't make much sense to him. Pellot and Muñoz had two young children — why would there be a needle on the stairs?
A medical bag
In addition to the needle, first responders also found syringes and IV equipment in a medical bag at the home. Although Pellot was a nurse anesthetist who worked in operating rooms, these types of supplies are normally found in a medical setting.
Police interview Joel Pellot
Authorities put Pellot in the back of a cruiser and drove him to the police station for an interview. The cameras captured him crying, screaming, and pushing furniture around in the interview room.
During this interview, Pellot told lead investigator Sgt. Luis Mata that he had moved out of the house and was living with his girlfriend and that he went to see Muñoz to talk about their marriage. Pellot told Mata that his wife took the clonazepam pills at some point after they talked, and the medical supplies found at the home were his. Pellot said he was taking steroids.
An unexplained pinprick mark
What Pellot couldn't explain was a red mark on Muñoz's right elbow crease. This mark, along with phone calls from concerned friends, family, and colleagues of Pellot telling Mata that Pellot may have killed Maria, is what led him to request a toxicology screening.
Maria Muñoz's own words
Investigators found a series of journals Muñoz used to write about what was happening in her life. Through her writings, they discovered Muñoz loved her husband and wanted to keep her family together, but accepted that he wanted to be with someone else.
The medical examiner also looked at the journals and determined Muñoz's death was not a suicide.
Maria Muñoz's cellphone recordings
Muñoz secretly recorded a conversation on her cellphone that provided a glimpse on how Pellot was treating her. In the cellphone video, Muñoz is heard asking her husband what he wanted out of their marriage. She was trying to keep her family together, but Pellot didn't seem interested in having that conversation.
"Pray for me"
The day before she died, Muñoz told her friend, Yazmin Martinez, that she and Pellot were going to have a "heart to heart" conversation that night. Muñoz asked Martinez to pray for her, but not because she suspected her husband was capable of killing her. Martinez said all Muñoz was hoping for was an honest conversation with him.
A bombshell toxicology report
In January 2021, Mata and De La Cruz finally got the toxicology test results they had been waiting for. There was no clonazepam, the drug Pellot claimed Muñoz had taken. But there were seven other drugs in Muñoz's system: morphine, Demerol, Versed, Propofol, ketamine, lidocaine, and Narcan. Most of them are typically used during surgery.
"Maria's Team"
District Attorney Isidro Alaniz selected a team of attorneys to represent Muñoz: Karina Rios, Ana Karen Garza Gutierrez, Marisela Jacaman, and Cristal Calderon. Based on the evidence collected at the scene, the extensive writings in Muñoz's journals, interviews with friends, and expert accounts, they were convinced Pellot killed his wife.
A guilty verdict
The all-women prosecution team built a strong case against Joel Pellot, and showed the jury the type of wife and mother Maria Muñoz was. The prosecutors told "48 Hours" that Muñoz's journals helped them understand what she was going through and motivated them to fight for justice in her case.
On March 30, 2023, after nine days of trial, a jury found Joel Pellot guilty of murdering his wife Maria
Maria's journals were her testimony
"Maria's team" says the most important witness at trial ended up being Muñoz herself. Prosecutors shared with "48 Hours" that they could feel Maria's energy through her journals. They describe her as a great mother, loving and bright.
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