Maria Gonzalez had been sexually assaulted prior to her murder according to the medical examiner, who determined the child's cause of death to be asphyxiation due to strangulation.
Police have identified a person of interest in their ongoing investigation into the murder of an 11-year-old girl in Texas.
The Pasadena Police Department tells Inside Editon Digital that they are seeking information on Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, an 18-year-old man who lives in the same apartment complex as Maria Gonzalez, whose body was discovered on Saturday stuffed under her bed.
Garcia-Rodriguez has not been seen at the apartment complex since Maria's murder. Police also say that they discovered a key at the crime scene that was not found to open any doors to the victim's residence, though they did not say if they have linked that key to the person of interest.
Carmelo Gonzalez told police that his daughter texted him on Saturday morning to report a stranger at the door to the apartment they shared in Pasadena.
He told his daughter not to answer the door and remain in her bed, which she agreed to do according to police.
It was the last time he heard from his daughter.
Her aunt and uncle went to check on the girl but could not find her in the apartment, according to police. They then started to look around the complex for the girl.
Carmelo then returned home from work that afternoon to find his daughter's body wrapped in a trash bag that had been put inside a laundry basket and shoved under her bed, according to police.
Maria had been sexually assaulted prior to her murder according to the medical examiner, who determined the child's cause of death to be asphyxiation due to strangulation.
Police say that all apartment complex employees, including the maintenance staff, have fully cooperated with the investigation and at this point do not appear to be involved.
In a press conference earlier this week, Police Chief Josh Bruegger said that Maria and her father had immigrated to the United States from Guatemala approximately four years ago. He also said that many residents of the apartment complex were also from Guatemala, making some hesitant to speak with law enforcement.
"I'm here to tell you right now, immigration status on the case, it's neither here nor there," said Chief Bruegger. "The important thing right now is solving this case and getting the community safe."
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and/or arrest of the suspect(s) in this case.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the family with funeral costs.
