Full Notification

Homicide Detectives Seek Public’s Assistance in Locating

Murder Suspect of Victim Buried in Valinda Backyard

Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in a six-year-old investigation, which began as a Missing Persons case in 2009 and tragically turned into a Homicide investigation when human remains were recovered from a backyard in an unincorporated area of Valinda.

Detectives believe the victim, Maria Delrefugio Chavez, a 40-year-old female resident of El Monte, came to know Suspect Pablo Pinto Mata when she patronized the botanica store he owned, located in the 2400 block of Whittier Boulevard, Montebello.   

During their relationship, Suspect Mata was once the victim’s business partner, and acted as a Santeria spiritualist for her, as well as many others at the botanica.  Although Mata was already married and had a family, he and Victim Chavez became involved romantically, and had a daughter together.   Their daughter was only four years old when Victim Chavez was reported missing on Thursday, May 7, 2009.

Through follow-up investigation of the Missing Person case, detectives were led to a home in the 700 block of Elsberry Avenue, in an unincorporated area of Valinda.  On Friday, August 7, 2015, human remains were located in the backyard and determined to be those of Victim Chavez. 

The residents of the home are not considered suspects of either the murder or the burial of Victim Chavez, and were fully cooperative with investigators.

Since the day Victim Chavez went missing, Suspect Mata was considered a person of interest.  Mata is also wanted by the Montebello and West Covina Police Departments for sex-related crimes.

Suspect Mata is described as a male Hispanic, now 46 years old, of Salvadoran descent.  He stands 5’5” tall and weighs 175 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a goatee.  His last known address was at the botanica.

If you know or were a victim of Suspect Mata, or have information leading to the location and arrest of Suspect Mata, please call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.  If you wish to remain anonymous, you may call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Written by:

Deputy Lillian Peck

Sheriff’s Information Bureau

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Hall of Justice - First floor 

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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department