Pueblo, CO – Authorities say a Colorado woman allegedly orchestrated the deaths of her boyfriend’s two young children and hid their bodies for nearly a decade, shocking the local community and raising serious questions about child abuse and neglect.
Alleged Killings and Concealment
According to the Pueblo Police Department, 37-year-old Corena Minjarez faces two counts of first-degree murder of a victim under 12 by a person in a position of trust and two counts of abuse of a corpse. Her boyfriend, 37-year-old Jesus Dominguez, took a plea deal in July for second-degree murder and is testifying against Minjarez.
Dominguez told the court that both he and Minjarez abused the children while using drugs, and Minjarez allegedly struggled with their potty training, sometimes forcing the children into plastic bags while driving to prevent soiling her car The Pueblo Chieftain.
Details of the Children’s Deaths
On March 14, 2018, Dominguez testified that the children’s deaths occurred under horrific conditions:
- Yesenia Dominguez, 3, allegedly stopped breathing while sitting on the car floor in a trash bag. Minjarez and Dominguez refused to seek medical help, instead placing her body in a tote, then a suitcase, and finally in Minjarez’s car trunk.
- Jesus Dominguez Jr., 5, allegedly stopped breathing while sitting in the backseat in a plastic bag and blankets during a drug-related outing. The couple transported his body to a field near Pueblo Dam, placing him in a suitcase before hiding it in a vehicle trunk The Pueblo Chieftain.
During this period, the children were exposed to abuse, neglect, and drug use, with Yesenia’s body gradually decomposing inside the vehicle while Dominguez and Minjarez snorted Percocet and methamphetamine nearby.
Discovery of the Bodies
Minjarez’s mother grew suspicious of a container at a storage unit the couple had rented. On Jan. 20, 2024, police discovered Yesenia’s body in a metal container at Kings Storage, while Jesus Jr.’s remains were later located in a suitcase inside Minjarez’s vehicle at a scrapyard on Feb. 6, 2024.
Autopsies revealed both children were victims of homicidal violence, though decomposition prevented a precise cause of death Pueblo Police Department.
Background and Legal Proceeding
Dominguez’s plea deal required him to testify against Minjarez. Prosecutors detailed a tumultuous relationship, escalating jealousy, and abusive treatment of the children. Family members had previously expressed concern over Minjarez’s behavior and treatment of the children.
Minjarez’s trial is scheduled to continue through Aug. 29, while Dominguez’s sentencing is set for Sept. 12 The Pueblo Chieftain.
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