Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 8, 2005 Police fear murder suspect fled to Mexico A single mother of two made a desperate call to 9-1-1 before her death along I-5 in May By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune Oregon State Police Detective Blain Allen would "love to hear" what Jose Perez-Silva has to say about the mysterious May killing of a Medford woman whose body was found on Interstate 5.But Allen knows in his heart that Perez-Silva, 29, isn’t anywhere near Southern Oregon. More than likely, the murder suspect is hiding out in Los Angeles, or working at his parents’ farm in Mexico."He knows what he did, and he’s not coming back up here on his own free will," Allen said. Advertisement "It’s horribly frustrating. I’d give anything to find him."The last time authorities heard from Perez-Silva was during a 9-1-1 telephone call made by Ana Meraz on the morning of May 3. Meraz, a 32-year-old divorced mother of two who knew Perez-Silva through church, told police dispatchers during the call that she needed urgent medical attention. Before she had a chance to say where she was, a man believed to be Perez-Silva took the phone and said he had stopped to help Meraz after seeing her vehicle weaving in traffic, police said. By the time OSP troopers and medics found Meraz lying beside her idling Chrysler Sebring convertible on the freeway’s southbound shoulder near milepost 11, the man on the phone was gone. Meraz died moments later, police said.Because Perez-Silva is still on the loose, investigators have declined to reveal the crime’s motive and the manner in which Meraz was slain. "I’ll just say that she was killed in a violent manner," Allen said. "This was a crime of passion. It doesn’t look like it was premeditated."Police said after the killing, Perez-Silva got a ride back to his Phoenix apartment from an acquaintance who was unaware of the incident, then drove to California in a Nissan Pathfinder. A few days later, six Rogue Valley police detectives armed with an arrest warrant traveled to central California in search of Perez-Silva. They returned to Jackson County a day later with his Pathfinder, but their suspect had slipped away."We were within hours of finding him," Allen said. "We were so close." Perez-Silva possibly fled to Los Angeles, where investigators figured locating him would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."I mean, how do you go about finding someone in Los Angeles?" Allen said.If police learn Perez-Silva has returned to his native Mexico to be with family, it’s unlikely he would be extradited to Oregon to face murder charges. Allen said Mexican authorities disagree with capital punishment and life in prison for people convicted of murder. "It’s a different country," he said. "There are hundreds of people wanted for murder who have fled to Mexico." Allen still believes there is a chance Perez-Silva will be tracked down within U.S. borders. It’s going to boil down to somebody who knows him or has had contact with him telling us where he is, or by him getting pulled over somewhere," Allen said. "We’ll follow up any reasonable lead we get. We would spare no expense to get him back up here. "I’d just love to hear (Perez-Silva’s) side of it," the detective added. "He killed a single mother of two for no reason at all. But there are two sides to every story." Crime Stoppers of Southern Oregon has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Perez-Silva. Anyone wishing to provide information can call 800-3-DETECT. Callers can remain anonymous. People with information about the case are also asked to contact Allen at 776-6236. "It’s a different country," he said. "There are hundreds of people wanted for murder who have fled to Mexico." Allen still believes there is a chance Perez-Silva will be tracked down within U.S. borders. It’s going to boil down to somebody who knows him or has had contact with him telling us where he is, or by him getting pulled over somewhere," Allen said. "We’ll follow up any reasonable lead we get. We would spare no expense to get him back up here. "I’d just love to hear (Perez-Silva’s) side of it," the detective added. "He killed a single mother of two for no reason at all. But there are two sides to every story." Crime Stoppers of Southern Oregon has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Perez-Silva. Anyone wishing to provide information can call 800-3-DETECT. Callers can remain anonymous. People with information about the case are also asked to contact Allen at 776-6236. "It’s a different country," he said. "There are hundreds of people wanted for murder who have fled to Mexico." Allen still believes there is a chance Perez-Silva will be tracked down within U.S. borders. It’s going to boil down to somebody who knows him or has had contact with him telling us where he is, or by him getting pulled over somewhere," Allen said. "We’ll follow up any reasonable lead we get. We would spare no expense to get him back up here. "I’d just love to hear (Perez-Silva’s) side of it," the detective added. "He killed a single mother of two for no reason at all. But there are two sides to every story." Crime Stoppers of Southern Oregon has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Perez-Silva. Anyone wishing to provide information can call 800-3-DETECT. Callers can remain anonymous. People with information about the case are also asked to contact Allen at 776-6236. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s