The Carrboro Police Department is charging a Burlington woman with first degree murder in the latest update from a fatal shooting in May.

A release on Wednesday said the police department’s investigation led to 28-year-old Karla Maria Machuca of Burlington as a suspect in the death of Juan Maldanado Espinoza. Espinoza, who was a Carrboro resident, was 41 years old.

Karla Maria Machuca, 28. (Photo via the Carrboro Police Department.)

The case, which continues to be under investigation, is related to a shooting from May 29 at the Estes Park Apartments community located off Estes Drive Extension. Police received a call around 11:40 p.m. to investigate and when officers arrived on the scene, they found a deceased adult male in the parking lot — who was not identified at the time. Carrboro Police confirmed to Chapelboro on July 3 that Espinoza was found in the lot next to the building in which he lived at Estes Park Apartments.

According to Wednesday’s alert, Machuca was arrested on June 12 while in Los Angeles and Carrboro Police confirmed she was arrested on the charges stemming from the shooting of Espinoza. She is now being extradited back to North Carolina to face charges of first degree murder, felony conspiracy, and felony attempted kidnapping over Espinoza’s shooting.

Carrboro Police told Chapelboro the incident was the second time Machuca was arrested over an incident with Espinoza, as officers arrested her just 16 days prior over an alleged assault on Espinoza. While the exact nature of the relationship is still being investigated, according to police, officers at the time of the initial arrest believed the pair were in an intimate relationship.

With Espinoza’s death still under investigation, Carrboro Police encouraged anyone who may have more information about the May 29 shooting to contact Investigator R. Trombley with the Carrboro Police Department at 919-918-7415. Additionally, those who wish to share anonymous information can use the Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC CrimeStoppers hotline (919-942-7515) and website.

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