Police Deploy Cadaver Dogs And Volunteers In Kira Trevino Case

Law enforcement officials and search and rescue teams converged on Keller Lake in Maplewood, Minnesota early Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation regarding a missing woman who suspiciously disappeared over a month ago after leaving work at the Mall of America.

Cadaver dogs and volunteers were deployed as part of the search for 30-year-old Kira Trevino. Volunteers scoured the area and yielded a bag with blood-stained garments, which matched the victim’s DNA.

A pillow, sponge, shirt, and bra were discovered inside the plastic bag, spurring further investigation. Keller Lake is two miles from the Trevino home where Kira lived with her husband.

An amended report was submitted Friday stating witnesses had come forward saying they saw a pair of men carrying what appeared to be a bundle the size of a human body onto the frozen lake on February 22, the day Kira was reported missing. The dogs were brought in and focused on holes drilled into the ice. A scent was detected. Divers subsequently searched the bottom of the lake but did not find anything.

The lake examination is expected to continue through this weekend as authorities are determined to find additional evidence leading to Kira.

Kira, a store manager at Delia’s clothing store in the Mall of America, was last seen leaving work with her husband on the night of February 21, a Thursday.

Kira’s husband, 39-year-old Jeffrey Trevino reported her missing Friday, February 22. Several reports show his name spelled both Jeffery and Jeffrey or simply referred to Mr. Trevino as Jeff. Conflicting reports state his age at 37, though the arrest warrant reflects a birthday of January 27, 1974. In addition, some sources state he reported her missing on the 22nd, others the 24th.

Mr. Trevino told authorities Kira worked until 6 pm that Thursday and met up with him after for a planned date night. The two had dinner and went bowling. Around 9:20 pm, Mr. Trevino walked Kira to her car, and they both went home. Her cell phone was last used at 10 pm that night.

Later the same evening, the couple took Kira’s car to a gas station to fuel up for her following morning commute. Surveillance video obtained from the gas station confirmed the couple getting fuel.

Mr. Trevino stated he last saw his wife at 8:30 am, the Friday morning she disappeared, just before she left the house to run errands and drop by work, though she wasn’t scheduled to work again until Saturday.

Kira never made it into work, yet video recovered from the Mall of America showed Kira’s car pulling into the parking area. The grainy footage displayed an unidentifiable person throwing something away from the trunk, getting into a cab, and leaving. The GPS tracker in the cab recorded a drop off point less than a block from the Trevino’s home. No mention on an interview with the driver of the cab or additional surrounding surveillance cameras was made.

Mall security discovered the missing woman’s white Chevrolet Cobalt. Authorities were notified and later disclosed finding human blood evidence within the abandoned vehicle. Her purse and cell phone were also inside. Notably, the car was parked in manner uncommon to Kira’s habits as it was backed into the space.

The Trevino’s had been together for eight years and married for at least three. They were known to have marital problems. Mr. Trevino was initially arrested and booked into the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of homicide after Kira’s car was discovered and processed for evidence. Mr. Trevino was remanded on $500,000 bail.

The vehicle evidence prompted an investigation of the Trevino’s home in St. Paul. A search warrant of the home was executed. Freshly washed towels, a mop, bucket, bleach bottles, and a shirt Mr. Trevino claimed to be wearing the day his wife went missing were collected.

During the investigation, police uncovered gruesome blood-spatter evidence indicative of a brutal brawl throughout the master bedroom. As they processed the residence, investigators noted evidence of an extensive clean-up effort involving bleach and carpet cleaner. Additional traces of blood was present in the kitchen and hallway and on the stairs to the basement.

The copious presence of blood and the highly uncharacteristic lack of contact with loved ones and co-workers has led authorities to determine there is enough probable cause to assess Kira is likely dead. Even though Kira has not been found, Mr. Trevino was charged with felony second-degree murder for the killing of his wife, and his bail was increased to $1 million.

Kira’s family still holds out hope that she is still alive, though the evidence states the contrary. Kira is described as five feet, four inches tall with blonde hair and green eyes and weighing about 110 pounds.

[Image via Wikicommons]