Three arrested in connection to Utah woman’s body found near Atlanta cemetery on Easter Sunday
Hector Paz, Denis Manuel Velasquez Rivera, and Madelin Garcia
ATLANTA - Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of a 20-year-old Utah woman found shot to death on Easter Sunday near Crest Lawn Memorial Park, the Atlanta Police Department announced Tuesday.
What we know:
Denis Manuel Velasquez Rivera, 22; Madelin Garcia, 18; and Hector Paz, 22, were arrested May 23 in Norcross. The arrests followed a coordinated effort involving Atlanta police, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
All three are facing charges of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The backstory:
The victim, identified as Angela Yajahira Cortes Villegas of Utah, was discovered just before 6 p.m. on March 31 in a wooded area along the 2000 block of Marietta Boulevard NW. Officers responded to reports of an unresponsive person and found Villegas with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initially unidentified, Villegas became the focus of a public appeal after authorities released descriptions of several distinctive tattoos: an eye on her right wrist, a treble clef and music note on her left wrist, and a bird with a flower on her left thigh.
The Atlanta Police Department released this photo showing a woman who they are trying to identify after she was found shot to death near an Atlanta cemetery on April 23, 2025. (Atlanta Police Department )
What we don't know:
Employees also recalled concerning encounters with an aggressive man who had disrupted services and threatened staff in the months leading up to the discovery. While some believed he might be linked to the case, police have not confirmed any connection.
The investigation remains active. Authorities have not released further details on a possible motive or the nature of the suspects’ relationship with Villegas.
What you can do:
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at (404) 577-8477 or visit www.stopcrimeatl.org. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
SEE ALSO:
- Unknown woman found shot to death at Atlanta cemetery, employees react
- New photo released of unknown woman found shot to death near Atlanta cemetery
- Woman shot to death at Atlanta cemetery identified as 20-year-old Utah woman
The Source: The details in this article were provided by the Atlanta Police Department. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.