Houston Police Department
3rd UPDATE: Suspect Charged in Female's Death at 1300 Lorraine

July 1, 2013 - Charges have been filed against a suspect in  the death of a female found at 1300 Lorraine about 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 22. 

The suspect, Dereck Dante Esparza (H/m, DOB: 5-7-69), is charged with capital murder in the 263rd State District Court.  Esparza, who is currently in the Harris County Jail on an unrelated aggravated assault charge, is accused in the killing of Angelica Garibay, 40, of Houston.   Her cause of death was determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences to be strangulation. 

A photo of suspect Esparza is attached to this news release. 

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant E. Cisneros and Senior Police Officer H. Chavez reported: 

Houston Fire Department firefighters responded to a grass fire in the 1900 block of Gano.  When they arrived, they extinguished a fire in the back of a vacant washateria at the above address.  After extinguishing the fire, HFD personnel found Ms. Garibay's body beneath a piece of plywood.  She was badly burned and pronounced dead at the scene. 

Further investigation and evidence from the scene developed information that identified Esparza as the suspect in this case.  Homicide investigators interviewed Esparza and he admitted to investigators his role in Garibay's death.  As a result, a capital murder charge was filed on him today (July 1). 

Dereck Dante Esparza
Dereck Dante Esparza
3rd Update: VHS/JFC 7-1-13
2nd Update: VHS/JFC 3-8-13
Update: VHS/JFC 2-25-1
3JKS/JFC 2-22-13
Inc. #022366413

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.