Officials identify Gardner man found dead in Excelsior Springs
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has identified a Gardner, Kansas, man who was found dead across state lines in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.
Officials said 53-year-old Gildardo H. Carvajal was found dead in Rocky Hollow Park in Excelsior Springs on Dec. 22.
Court docs: Woman tried to cover up man’s death, dump body in Clay County
Charging documents released last week say parks employees found the man in a culvert, partially wrapped in trash bags, with trauma to his head and face.
Prosecutors have charged Elena Del Carmen Flores with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse in Carvajal’s death.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office initially struggled to identify the man, even releasing a photo of the victim’s tattoo to the public.
Charging documents say detectives first went looking for Flores in an attempt to contact members of Carvajal’s family.
KC-area restaurant franchise changes tipping protocol for servers
One person at the home said Flores was the victim’s girlfriend, and Flores told her she had to go to Mexico for a family emergency, court records say.
The woman also said she heard a noise or scream on Dec. 20 or Dec. 21. When she went into Flores’ bedroom, she saw her with a bat, court records say. The witness said Carvajal wasn’t moving.
Clay County deputies searched surveillance cameras in Excelsior Springs and Kearney. They allegedly located Flores’ vehicle at a Kearney gas station on Dec. 21. Court records say the video shows what appears to be a large shiny material like a trash bag in the back seat.
Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating Flores.
Officials said she lives in Gardner, Kansas, but they believe she has fled to Mexico and is no longer in the Kansas City area.
