A 35-year-old man and his wife were charged four years after allegedly killing his sister and wrapping her body in plastic in their home.
In a statement, the Norman Police Department announced members of the Criminal Investigations and Special Investigations teams arrested Desiree Sanchez on suspicion of murder following a 14-month-long investigation. Desiree’s husband, Octavio Sanchez, was reportedly also charged, but he was already in custody for charges in another county.
According to Norman Police, on May 13, 2021, officers responded to a residence on West Lindsey Street regarding a call about a deceased body. When they arrived, they found a decomposing body that had been wrapped in plastic and left in the basement. Police say the woman was a female family member, though KFOR-TV identified her as Octavio’s sister, Margarita Sandoval.
Sandoval reportedly moved in with Desiree and Octavio Sanchez in January 2018, and months later, family members became concerned after not hearing from her for months.
Police say the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Sandoval’s death a homicide. Desiree and Octavio are now facing charges of first-degree murder and removal of a dead body.
According to court records cited by KFOR, Octavio and Desiree reportedly messaged each other about “moving the body around the house due to the smell.”
Octavio allegedly sent someone else a message saying, “Desiree started it, and I had to finish it.”
KOKH-TV reports police noted the body had liquid coming out of it and smelled like it had been decomposing for a long time.
According to The Oklahoman, police suspect Sandoval was in her late teens when she died, but she reportedly suffered from cognitive problems.
In court documents cited by The Oklahoman, Octavio allegedly told Desiree he would “kill you too” if she told police. Additionally, investigators found in Facebook messages “that Desiree and Octavio believe that Margarita is haunting them.”
The affidavit says, “Desiree confirmed with Octavio that Margarita was haunting her too. Desiree told Octavio that Margarita knows what she did and that is why she is haunting them.”
Investigators reportedly believe Octavio and Desiree continued to collect Sandoval’s disability payments and stimulus checks. The coroner wrote Sandoval “died as a result of undetermined means.”