Carrboro police have charged a woman with murder following a late-night shooting that left her boyfriend dead at the Estes Park Apartments on May 29.
Karla Maria Machuca, 28, of Burlington, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and attempted kidnapping in connection with the killing of Juan Maldonado Espinoza, 41, who lived in Carrboro, police said in a news release.
Espinoza was shot around 11:40 p.m. outside Building C in the parking lot of the apartment complex at 306 Estes Drive Extension.
According to 911 calls obtained by The News & Observer, neighbors tried to help Espinoza, but he was already dead by the time police arrived.
A witness told the 911 operator that they saw a silver car with two or three people inside drive away from the complex after the shooting. At least two callers said they heard five or six shots but did not see what happened.
Machuca was arrested in Los Angeles on June 12 and will be extradited to North Carolina to face the charges, police said.
Court records show that Carrboro police also charged Machuca with a misdemeanor count of domestic violence against Mendoza on May 13.
The arrest warrant states that Machuca had a relationship with Mendoza and that she allegedly used physical violence against him. She was released with a written promise to appear and ordered to appear in court on June 13, but she did not show up. That case has been continued.
It was the second shooting with an injury, fatal or non-fatal, in Carrboro this year, police said. There were no shootings with injuries in the city last year.
The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective R. Trombley of the Carrboro Police Department at 919-918-7415 or Crime Stoppers at 919-942-7515. Crime Stoppers allows tipsters to remain anonymous if they wish.
