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Parents of dead UNT student offer $10,000 reward
Ernesto Reyes, 20, of Denton
BY SARAH BLASKOVICH, Community Editor
Ernesto Reyes, the man who Carrollton police believe may have killed 19-year-old Melanie Goodwin last week, is still missing.
In an effort to encourage community members to speak up, Goodwin’s family is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who has information that may lead to the arrest of Reyes. The money is a combination of donations from employees at the Southern Reservation Office of American Airlines — where father Glenn Goodwin works — and from Melanie Goodwin’s friends.
Reyes’ name and picture have also been added to the “America’s Most Wanted” Web site.
Police have not been able to locate Reyes, but believe he was found on two surveillance tapes the morning that Goodwin was killed.
Goodwin’s body — which was burned after she was killed, police said — was found at the 3200 block of Keller Springs Road in Carrollton at about 11 a.m. Sept. 25. The University of North Texas student died from multiple blunt force trauma, according to officials at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Carrollton resident Donovan Young was arrested for tampering with evidence in the death of Goodwin. Young was released from the Dallas County Jail Monday and posted bail on a $125,000 bond.
Police still have no leads as to where Reyes may be, said Sgt. John Singleton, spokesperson for the Carrollton Police Department. Reyes is a resident alien, which means that he lives in the United States legally but is not a citizen.
There was no answer on Monday or Tuesday at Reyes’ Denton home.
Rush, Reyes’ neighbor, said he had to ask Reyes to leave his property once because he believed Reyes was trying to sell drugs to his son.
“There was a situation going on with him and my son,” Rush said, when Reyes approached his front door once. “I asked him not to come on my property.”
Yet, Rush said Reyes was “very polite” and has never caused trouble for Rush or his son again.
Goodwin was last seen at the QuikTrip in Denton on Interstate 35E at 1:45 a.m. Sept. 25. Reyes was first identified then on surveillance cameras. The clerk in the convenience store remembers that Goodwin spoke with Reyes inside the store, according to police affidavits.
Reyes asked Goodwin for a ride, Singleton said.
“We do know she left the convenience store with him,” he said. “We don’t know exactly what happened in the parking lot.”
But it would have been out of character for Goodwin to voluntarily get in the car with a stranger, said Matthew Bobo, family spokesperson and friend to Goodwin’s parents to 10 years.
“She was not naïve,” he said. “We do not believe she voluntarily got in the car.”
A man matching Reyes’ description was found again on the surveillance cameras at TransTech, a Carrollton business that provides credit and debit card processing. Footage showed a man wearing a white shirt, short pants and white tennis shoes dragging a body from a red Saturn into the grassy area, where Goodwin’s body was found, according to police affidavits.
Goodwin drove a two-door red Saturn that matched the license plate of the car on the surveillance tapes. The car has since been found in Denton and police said it had some burn marks inside the car.
The cameras at TransTech also show a man lighting a fire in the place where Goodwin’s body was found. She was believed to already be dead when the fire was lit.
Singleton said police still don’t have information as to why Goodwin was killed. They believe it may have been a random killing.
According to police affidavits, Reyes admitted to Young that he killed Goodwin. Reyes arrived at Young’s apartment on the morning of Sept. 25, Young told police, and Reyes had blood on his shirt. Reyes said that he “needed help, he killed someone, didn’t mean to and needed to get rid of her body,” according to the affidavit for Young’s arrest.
Young said he saw Goodwin’s dead body in the back seat of the red Saturn Reyes was driving. That car has been identified as Goodwin’s vehicle, license plate Z57WBT.
Young gave Reyes money for gas and a gas can, Singleton said, which is why he was arrested. Reyes left the apartment, burned the body “a few blocks away,” and returned to Young’s apartment, according to police affidavits.
Young is believed to be the last person who saw Reyes, Singleton said.
Police are still looking for Reyes, and said he “could be anywhere at this time.” Singleton said that police are concerned that Reyes has left the Dallas area, and may even be out of the country.
Anyone who has information about Reyes’ whereabouts can call 972-466-4775.
“The family is confident that the criminal justice system will punish Mr. Reyes to the fullest extent of the law,” Bobo said.
Contact Community Editor Sarah Blaskovich at 972-628-4074 or at SBlaskovich@acnpapers.com.
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of scntx.com.
DJ wrote on Oct 3, 2007 9:13 AM:
" This one is so over the top that I felt compelled to write from the other side of the country. Frankly speaking...no mercy for this guy when he is caught. Castrate him, hang him upside down and slowly burn him. "
Ben wrote on Oct 4, 2007 6:09 PM:
" This is what happens when you don't properly defend the southern border, and enforce immigration laws properly. This scum shouldn't have been here in the first place. All illegal aliens are criminals, and need to be treated as such. If thing like this keep happening, there is going to be an incredible blacklash against thes lawbreakers. It's about time! "
legalatina wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:35 PM:
" He's probably in his homeland of MExico by now...if he's ever caught there should be no question of him getting the death penalty. Build the fence, secure the border. Just SAY NO MAS to illegal aliens and criminal aliens like Reyes. ICE should go in and question the status of the rest of his fine upstanding family and deport any illegal aliens. "
Common Sense wrote on Oct 5, 2007 12:21 PM:
" Ummm....
"Reyes is a resident alien, which means that he lives in the United States legally"
It's not racial, right? "
amber wrote on Oct 5, 2007 12:54 PM:
" This is sad and sick! How a human could do this to another human is disgusting. My heart goes out to this girls family and friends. I hope that this man is found and justice is served. But for those of you that have commented and spoke badly of illegal immigrants, shame on you. You're no better than that disgusting man that killed that girl. What would your excuse be if the suspect was white, or black. Just because he is illegal, doesn't mean every other illegal is going to be the same! He will meet his fate one way or another, his true judgement will be casted on him by God. "
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