Arrests made after children’s remains found in container filled with concrete, suitcase

Police said Dominguez and Minjarez were identified as persons-of-interest when a child’s remains were located in a metal container in late January. (KKTV)
Published: Feb. 19, 2024 at 1:46 AM EST

PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV/Gray News) - Two adults in Colorado are facing charges in the deaths of two children after police found the remains of one child in a metal container filled with concrete and further investigation led to the discovery of the remains of another.

Police said Jesus Dominguez, 35, and Corena Rose Minjarez, 36, were identified as persons of interest when a child’s remains were located in a metal container at a storage unit in Pueblo in late January, KKTV reports.

At that time, police said they were searching for two children last seen in summer 2018: Yesenia and Jesus Jr. Dominguez. The children were about 3 years and 5 years old, respectively, when they were last seen.

During the investigation, detectives said they located a vehicle belonging to Minjarez at a scrap yard in Pueblo. Police executed a search warrant Feb. 6 on that vehicle and found a suitcase in the trunk that they said contained the remains of a young male child.

Police said the remains found in the container were identified as those of Yesenia Dominguez. The remains found in the suitcase were identified as Jesus Dominguez Jr.

Arrest warrants were obtained Thursday for Minjarez and Dominguez on charges including murder and abuse of a corpse.

Police said Minjarez was arrested shortly after the warrants were issued, and Dominguez was arrested Saturday afternoon. They are each being held on a $2 million bond, according to online jail records.

Police said their investigation revealed that no missing person’s reports were ever done on Yesenia or Jesus Jr. Police say they were not made aware of the missing children until Jan. 20.