MURDERED: Lesly Palacio from Las Vegas

Summary

Summary of "MURDERED: Lesly Palacio from Las Vegas" – Crime Junkie Episode (January 2, 2025)

In the January 2, 2025 episode of Crime Junkie, hosts Ashley Flowers and Britt meticulously unravel the perplexing and tragic case of Leslie Palacio, a 22-year-old from Las Vegas whose disappearance has left her family bewildered and authorities scrambling for answers. This summary captures the episode's key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions, providing a comprehensive overview for those unfamiliar with the case.

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1. Overview of Leslie Palacio

Leslie Palacio was the cornerstone of her family, residing with her parents and four sisters. Described as the "heart, soul, and backbone of the house," Leslie ensured her family was always fed and safe (03:00). Her close-knit family dynamics would later play a pivotal role in the unfolding investigation.

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2. The Fateful Night: August 28, 2020

Despite her mother's clear instruction against going out that night, Leslie chose to spend time with Eric, a long-time family friend. "Every parent knows nothing good happens after midnight. But every parent also knows that the kids they make those rules for think that they know better" (03:00). Leslie and Eric ventured into Las Vegas's nightlife around midnight, defying typical closing times.

3. Suspicious Behavior and Initial Concerns

Leslie had a responsible habit of keeping her family informed during her outings. An article by Kathlyn Newberg highlighted that Leslie was the more rule-abiding sibling, ensuring constant communication (04:47). On the night in question, Leslie agreed to keep her sister Corelli updated via text messages throughout the evening (05:25).

However, at 4:40 AM on August 29, Leslie sent a vague message: "I have something I need to tell you" (05:25). When Corelli attempted to respond, the message bubbles merely showed Leslie typing before disappearing, raising immediate red flags (05:25).

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4. The Disappearance Unfolds

With no further communication from Leslie, Corelli and her mother grew increasingly anxious. Leslie's social media posts earlier that night depicted her enjoying time at various bars with Eric, seemingly in good spirits (05:25).

Attempting to locate Leslie, the family reached out to Eric's household, where a troubling encounter occurred. "Eric's mom tells her that they don't have any business asking where Eric is because he's an adult" (08:55). This evasive response only deepened their worries.

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5. Escalation of the Investigation

As hours passed with no sign of Leslie, Corelli initiated a missing persons report on August 30. Initially, law enforcement speculated that Leslie and Eric might have absconded together, despite the family's assertion that Leslie was not romantically involved with Eric (10:32).

6. Eric and Jose’s Sudden Disappearance

Adding to the mystery, on August 31, Eric and his father, Jose, also went missing. "They assume that the two ran away together, even though Leslie's family insists that she wouldn't have gone anywhere without telling them" (10:32). This simultaneous disappearance suggested a deeper, possibly sinister connection.

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7. Breakthroughs in the Case

Police obtained Leslie's phone records and analyzed security footage, reconstructing her movements. Footage showed Leslie and Eric leaving a casino at 1:50 AM, visiting a bar at 2:15 AM, and arriving at a third location around 4:30 AM (12:40). Notably, Leslie was last seen leaving the bar with Eric at approximately 5:50 AM, contradicting any narrative that she might have returned home safely (12:40).

Neighbor surveillance captured Eric and Jose attempting to dispose of something "body-shaped and wrapped in bedsheets" around 6 AM, which was later identified as Leslie's body (16:40). A blood sample from Eric's mattress matching Leslie's confirmed foul play (20:46).

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8. Legal Proceedings and Extradition Efforts

Following substantial evidence, warrants were issued for Eric on charges of open murder and evidence tampering, and for Jose on charges of evidence destruction and accessory to felony (20:46). Jose eventually surrendered to authorities in January 2021, providing a conflicting account of the events (29:03).

Eric fled to Mexico, leading to a prolonged extradition process complicated by Mexico's legal stance against the death penalty and life sentences. "To extradite someone to the US from Mexico, the US has to agree not to seek the death penalty or even a life sentence" (36:08).

In July 2024, after extensive collaboration between U.S. and Mexican authorities, Eric was apprehended in Mexico and is currently undergoing extradition procedures (36:54).

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9. Current Status and Ongoing Efforts

As of the episode's recording, Leslie Palacio remains deceased, and Eric is awaiting extradition to face trial in the United States. Jose, having pleaded guilty to lesser charges, served eight months in prison despite a maximum sentence of two years (33:59).

Leslie's case has spurred discussions among lawmakers to re-evaluate laws concerning family members acting as accessories in crimes, highlighting the legal loopholes that allowed Jose to receive a comparatively lenient sentence (34:16).

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10. Reflections and Lessons Learned

Leslie's tragic story underscores the complexities of missing persons cases, especially when involving close acquaintances and family friends. It also raises critical questions about trust, legal accountability, and the efficacy of cross-border law enforcement collaborations.

"Why all this happened remains a mystery, but Leslie's case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and trust in our communities," concludes Britt.

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Notable Quotes

• Ashley Flowers [03:00]: "Leslie is the heart, soul, and backbone of the house, the one who makes sure everyone is fed and safe."

• Britt [05:25]: "This is like a little bit of a crime junkie thing, right?"

• Ashley Flowers [12:40]: "Police know that nothing happened to her then. Maybe her phone really did just die because she's leaving at 5:50."

• Britt [23:05]: "That's it."

• Ashley Flowers [36:08]: "To extradite someone to the US from Mexico, the US has to agree not to seek the death penalty or even a life sentence."

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Conclusion

The episode on Leslie Palacio's case presents a gripping narrative of trust gone terribly wrong, the challenges of law enforcement in handling complex criminal investigations, and the profound impact on the families involved. Crime Junkie effectively highlights the lingering quest for justice and the ongoing efforts to bring closure to Leslie's loved ones.

Listeners are encouraged to stay informed and vigilant, as Leslie's family continues to seek answers and advocate for legal reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.

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Note: If you have information regarding Leslie Palacio's case, you're urged to contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Homicide at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-555.

Transcript

[Ashley Flowers]

There are some cases so infamous that we have all heard about them. But some of the coldest cases, the most mysterious, are the ones that you've never heard of before. I'm Ashley Flowers, and every Wednesday on my show the Deck, I dive into the coldest of cold cases. Many of these victims didn't get the press coverage they deserved during the initial investigations, but I'm sharing what our reporting team has found on these stories in hopes that some someone listening may have the information needed to bring answers to light. And that listener could be you. Listen to the Deck now, wherever you get your podcasts brought to you by the Capital One Quicksilver card earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase everywhere. Plus, there's no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn, and rewards don't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple. The Capital One Quicksilver Card what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com for details. State Farm helps you win by helping you create an affordable price just for you. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. As you set resolutions for 2025, consider how learning a new language can enrich your life, whether through travel, career advancement, or cultural appreciation. Rosetta Stone's immersive lessons guide you to think a new language from day one. Today, Crime Junkie listeners can take advantage of Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership. For 50% off, visit rosetta stone.com crimejunkie that's 50% off. Unlimited lifetime access to 25 language [e-mail].

[Britt]

Crimejunkie hi Crime Junkies. Britt here and Happy New Year. Can you believe it's 2025, the perfect time for some New Year resolutions. Maybe you're planning on getting back in the gym, picking up a new hobby. Or maybe you're trying to come to our Crime Junkie life rule number 10 live tour. I promise the last one is so easy to stick to. And if you haven't gotten your tickets yet, don't worry, there's still some left. But hurry, they are going so, so quick. We will have a direct link in our show notes. Which brings me to why I'm here today. This Thursday we're headed to our last tour stop, Las Vegas. And for the special occasion, we're unlocking an episode from the crime junkie fan club vault. We hope you guys have enjoyed these re releases as much as we have. We've loved being in your ears each Thursday, really re highlighting cases from all around the country. And we can't wait to see you all in person so, so soon.

[Ashley Flowers]

Hi, crime junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers.

[Britt]

And I'm Britt.

[Ashley Flowers]

And the story I have for you today is about how a young woman's night out with a trusted family friend turned into a nightmare, leaving her family still searching for answers nearly four years later, as the gears of justice finally start to turn. This is the story of Leslie Palacio. Even though Leslie Palacio is 22, she lives at home with her parents and four sisters. And that's just how they like it, because Leslie is the heart, soul, and backbone of the house, the one who makes sure everyone is fed and safe. But on August 28, 2020, Leslie needed a night out. According to an episode of In Pursuit with John Walsh about the case, her mom tells her she shouldn't leave the house that night. It's already too late by the time she's even asking. It's like inching up on midnight. And every parent knows nothing good happens after midnight. But every parent also knows that the kids they make those rules for think that they know better. So Leslie decides that she's going to go out anyways. She's been dming with one of her longtime friends, Eric, and around midnight, she leaves with him to go up to, like, you know, hit up some of the nightlife in town. And while most places would be starting to close down in, like, a couple of hours, they don't live in most places. They live in Las Vegas.

[Britt]

Oh. Nothing's closing right now.

[Ashley Flowers]

All of this makes Leslie's older sister Corelli nervous. She is actually out of the house, but she's been in contact with Leslie the whole night. And she's not feeling great about Leslie going out alone with Eric. But based on an article by Kathlyn Newberg for the Las Vegas Review Journal, Leslie's more of the rule follower of the two, always making sure to text their parents while she's out. So what happens is Leslie agrees to text Corelli throughout the night to let her know where she is, what she's doing, just so someone in the family, like, knows she's okay and has tabs on her. Like, this is, like a little bit of a crime junkie thing, right?

[Britt]

Right.

[Ashley Flowers]

Sister pact is made. And so far, Leslie's keeping up with her end of the bargain, Corelli stays up late texting with her sister. She even sees Leslie post some photos from the bars that she's at with Eric on Instagram throughout the course of the night. And she knows Leslie's drinking. I mean, she's told her as much. But she isn't worried about her even getting home because Leslie says that Eric is sober. So Leslie keeps her sister posted as they hop from bar to bar. Nothing to write home about or cause concern in any of the messages. But then, at 4:40 in the morning, now, it's the 29th, Leslie sends this slightly ominous text message. She tells her sister that she has something she needs to tell her, but she doesn't say what. I know. Corelli texts her back just a minute later to probe. And right away that little text bubble comes up, like Leslie is typing back and then the dots just disappear. So Corelli tries calling her sister, goes straight to voicemail. And she's thinking like, okay, her phone must have just died. She's been out all night, she's been using her phone, texting, whatever, she's going to text me and tell me what happened in the morning. And so she falls asleep. But she doesn't get a good night's rest because just a few hours later, she finally does hear from someone. But it's not her sister, Leslie. It's her mom asking, where is your sister? Now Corelli's mind goes right to that last text message that she got. I have something to tell you. There still aren't any more messages from Leslie. And when she tries to call Leslie again, her phone is still going straight to voicemail now, hours later. So Corelli rushes home and admits to her mom that Leslie did go out that night. She knew about it. But before they jump to any kind of worst case scenarios, one of the first things Corelli does is try to get in touch with Eric's sister to see if Leslie's at their house.

[Britt]

So she knew this guy. He wasn't just some like, rando from Instagram, right?

[Ashley Flowers]

No. So like I said, they knew each other, but their families have actually known each other for years from church. And Eric still lives at his home with his parents and siblings too, just down the street from Leslie and her family. So Corelli's probably thinking, okay, Leslie stayed over there with them. She was probably drinking, she probably fell asleep, overslept, whatever. She feels safe with that family. But when she calls, Eric's sister doesn't answer to ease her worries. So by around 10am, Corelli and her mom decide to just drive over to their house to see what's going on. And at first, they knock on the door. No one answers, which is odd because Eric has this big family. Someone surely has to be home. But they decide to just leave and come back an hour later at around 11. And this time, when they pull up to Eric's driveway, they see something stranger than they ever expected. Eric's mom and sisters are, like, moving furniture and cleaning supplies out of the house as they roll up. Uh, no, I know. And listen, Leslie's family still doesn't jump to any terrible conclusions. They know this family, the Ibarras, really well. So Leslie's mom just kind of pulls up. She asks, you know, where is Eric? But then the answer she gets totally changes the mood, because Eric's mom tells her that she doesn't have any business asking where her son is because he's an adult.

[Britt]

I'm sorry. F. That.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah.

[Britt]

Where is Eric? He was the last person with your daughter. Like, I want to know where he is, where she is. Why you have a mop and bucket.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah, that's almost exactly what Leslie's mom asks. But the Ybarra family says they don't know where Leslie is. So Leslie's family has no choice but to leave and just to start looking for answers themselves. Now, Corelli immediately starts searching. She's calling hospital. She's trying to reach anyone she can who might know where Leslie is. You know, friends of hers, people who might have run into her. But she gets nothing. And so she keeps trying to call Eric, too, but it sounds like his phone is going to voicemail or turned off or she knows that somehow, like, she's not getting through to him. No ringing, nothing. Corelli even tries to track down Leslie's phone using Find My iPhone, but it doesn't even show up anywhere. So now she is really worried, and she calls the police to report Leslie missing. They tell her to wait, see if Leslie comes back later in the day. Corelli hopes that they're right, and Leslie's gonna walk through the door any minute. But day turns to night, and there is still no sign of Leslie. So the next morning, August 30, she reports Leslie missing again. And this time, police do take the report. But they're still not convinced that she's in danger. Knowing both Eric and Leslie are nowhere to be found, they assume that the two ran away together, even though Leslie's family insists that she wouldn't have gone anywhere without telling them. I mean, she was texting her sister the Entire night, for God's sake. And by the way, Eric and Leslie weren't dating or anything. Like, Corelli could always tell that Eric had a thing for Leslie, but she didn't feel the same way about him. Like, they were just friends. So she's like, leslie's not taking off in his truck and leaving her family for some guy she's not in love with. You know, like, head over heels in love with.

[Britt]

Right. And where is Eric's truck now?

[Ashley Flowers]

Well, police need to figure that out. So they put in a request that day for Leslie's cell phone records to try and kind of retrace her steps, hopefully find her safe. But then on Aug. 31, police get another call, one that really puzzles them because it's from Eric's mom, and she's calling to report Eric and his dad, Jose, missing. She tells police that Eric came home sometime between 8 and 9am on Aug. 29 after going out with Leslie, and that he was really on edge. And by the afternoon, whatever was bothering Eric was, like, eating away at him. And he told his mom he just wanted to leave the house, and he did. Walked right out of the door. His dad went after him. And that was the last, apparently, they saw of both Eric and Jose. So now police are wondering, if three people, Leslie, Eric, and Jose, went missing together, could they all be in danger? And if Eric was at home by morning, then where is Leslie? Police release Leslie's photo and description to the public, saying that they've ruled out a kidnapping. But they add that Leslie might be in distress or need some kind of medical assistance. And even though her phone is still off and they can't use her cell phone location to figure out where she is, they can at least pull up some historical data and track that path. Like I said, the one she took the night she went missing, starting from when she left her house. And so using that, they're able to pin down all of the places that she and Eric went to, which allows them to go, then collect footage from each place and actually, like, see her there. And from that, they can see that Leslie and Eric started the night at a casino. They pull up in Eric's white Ford F150 truck, and at 1:50am they leave the casino in the same white truck. The two then go to a bar at 2:15. And I can't find any sources that tell us when they left that bar, but police do find footage of Leslie and Eric arriving at a third and final place at around 4:30 in the morning.

[Britt]

And 4:40 is the last text to her sister.

[Ashley Flowers]

Right, right. And even though she never responded to Corelli's text, footage does show Leslie leaving the bar with eric at around 5:50am so as ominous as those like disappearing dots were, police know that nothing happened to her then. Maybe her phone really did just die because she's leaving at 5:50 and now police need to know whether or not she went back to Eric's house with him that morning or what. I mean, it's less than 15 minutes away from the last bar that he and Leslie went to. So what detectives do is they go canvas his neighborhood, asking whether anyone has cameras that point to the Ibarra house. And sure enough, someone does. So police look at that footage and they see Eric's truck pulling up just after 6am I mean, this is like fitting completely with the timeline. He gets out of the driver's seat, walks around, helps Leslie out. She's a little uneasy on her feet from the drinks that night. So he's kind of like holding her up, leading her inside. But she is alive. She's like, you know, walking with him and he leads her into the house and everything on the street is quiet. But not for long.

[Britt]

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[Ashley Flowers]

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[Britt]

And where are Eric and Jose now?

[Ashley Flowers]

Police still don't know, but they know that they're definitely not missing or in danger. But right now, Leslie is the priority. So if there's even the smallest chance that she might still be alive, they gotta find her. They gotta get her help, like, yesterday. So the neighbor's camera footage gives police enough evidence to get a warrant to search the Ibarra house. And inside, their top concern is what they find in Eric's room because the sheets have been completely stripped from his bed. And they notice this small blood stain on Eric's mattress that they swab and then send to the crime lab. So now police release a second report to the public, and this time, they say that they do think foul play played some kind of role in Leslie's disappearance. And they also turned the case over to the Las Vegas MPD's Homicide Unit. And it's at this point that Eric and Jose are no longer missing people like they're fugitives on the run. Yeah, but Finding them is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So they pull out all the stocks, like, pull on all their resources. And the one that hits is a license plate reader that, like, pulled on Eric's truck, basically, like, it got flagged or whatever. And so they pull the footage from the reader, and they see that Eric went back toward his house at around 10am on Aug. 29, though it doesn't seem like he ever actually went back to his house, just, like, towards that general direction. So there seems to be a little bit of conflicting information between Eric's mom's statement to police and then the actual evidence, like camera footage, I don't know. But either way, from there, police start working backwards to track his route. And based on the road that he was driving on, police know that he could only have been coming back from one of two directions, either from the Mount Charleston area or from the Utah, Arizona border. But that's like, a fricking huge area for police to search. I mean, hundreds of square miles. But detectives get lucky yet again when one of them finds surveillance video from a gas station about 40 miles north of Las Vegas that shows Eric pulling off the freeway toward the Valley of Fire State Park. Now, on that same video, 20 minutes after, they see Eric's truck driving in the opposite direction, this time with mud on the tires. So they know that Eric went off the road at some point in those 20 minutes.

[Britt]

So really, they're only looking at the distance he could travel within the 10 minutes from the gas station.

[Ashley Flowers]

I mean, maybe even less. Because, I mean, if you assume that he stopped to remove Leslie from the car, you'd have to account for at least a minute or two for him to get out, take her out of the truck. And that's assuming he did nothing to conceal her. You know what I mean? So, right.

[Britt]

So the time and the radius gets even smaller.

[Ashley Flowers]

Right? So police time this out, and they, like, got their stopwatches out, whatever accounting for the time that it would take for him to drive off the road, hide the body, get back in the car, drive away. And even then, they're still working with a lot of desert here. And with that narrow timeline, they start a grid search of the area. Every single hour counts in this heat, because the longer it takes, the more likely it is that evidence could wither away. And it takes until September 9th. That's when police find Leslie's body hidden in a bush about 2,500ft off of a dirt road. Eric didn't bury her. So after nearly two weeks of exposure to the intense heat. Her body is in a very advanced state of decomposition, I mean, to the point that she's almost mummified when they find her. And they also notice that Leslie's missing the pants that she had on in all of the security footage that they saw. And they end up finding those jeans in a bush A few feet away from where they found her, along with drag marks showing that Eric must have let her heels drag as he was pulling her into the bush. And even though she's still wearing her underwear, like, it's on all wrong, According to a detective's grand jury testimony, her, quote, leg was through the waist hole, and then the waist was in a leg hole. Like, so you've got the. You know what I mean? Like the.

[Britt]

Yeah, it's, like, turned around.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah. And to me, that seems like evidence that Leslie may have been sexually assaulted, Even though an autopsy would struggle to actually find evidence of that because of just how badly decomposed she was. And, I mean, because of that, they can't determine a cause of death during her autopsy, so that ends up getting listed as undetermined. But police are sure that this is a homicide case, Especially once the blood sample taken from Eric's mattress Is determined to be Leslie's blood. Now, based on the evidence that they gather, Police seek warrants for Eric's arrest On one count of open murder and destroying and concealing evidence, and for Jose on charges of destroying and concealing evidence, along with harboring, concealing, or aiding a felony offender. Now, they release Eric and Jose's photos to the public, Officially naming Eric as their main suspect in the case, along with a license plate number for truck. And that is when police get a tip from California. They learn that after dumping Leslie's body, Eric and Jose drove to California and spent the night with relatives. Now, there's conflicting reports on what exactly happened next, because one place I found says that Eric left his truck with a cousin who then drove him and Jose across the border. Another place says that Eric's relatives refused to help him. But either way, it seems like Eric and Jose cross the border and make it into Mexico. But they do leave the truck behind, because that's actually found at the border. So while police work to hunt their fugitives down in another country, now, they still work stateside to kind of build their case against Eric and Jose for when they get them back. And by now, they've gotten access to Eric's cell phone records, and they see this thing that ends up being really important. They see that he called someone from the valley of the fire area on the morning of the 29th. So police go question that person who is a friend of Eric's, and what he shares with them is straight up full body chills. This friend got a call from eric at around 8am that morning, and Eric was straight up frantic. He's telling him he needed help right away. This friend was like, okay, well, like, I mean, what do you need, man? And Eric's like, do you remember that favor I asked you to do?

[Britt]

What favorite?

[Ashley Flowers]

So that's the thing. This favor wasn't like a direct ask. And this was like, weeks before Leslie died. But the friend did remember. And so I guess what happened was that Eric and his brother had run into this guy on his lunch break, and they sat down at his table, and Eric was drunk, like, pretty gone. And to be fair, I don't know exactly what time of day this was. Like a lunch break might not necessarily be at noon, whatever, but either way, Eric and his friend are talking. And he asked this friend if he would do him a favor if he ever needed it. And the friend's like, okay, yeah, sure, like, whatever. And then they move on.

[Britt]

That's it.

[Ashley Flowers]

That's it. So again, it didn't seem ominous then, whatever. But fast forward to this morning on the 29th, and Eric is trying to call in that favor, like, out of nowhere. And this friend asked him, okay, like, well, then what do you need, man? And Eric's like, I need you to bring me gas. And the friend's like, okay, why do you need someone to bring you gas? Like, just go find a gas station, right? But Eric starts getting really cagey. He's, like, avoiding the question. So his friend asked him a few more times, like, why do you need me to go do this? And finally Eric said, I don't want to be seen on camera getting the gas. Which is like, all the red flags.

[Britt]

Yeah.

[Ashley Flowers]

So this friend asked Eric where he was. He's like, asking this a few times. And Eric admitted that he's in Utah. And then the friend asked him one more time, okay, like, but why are you needing the gas? And then Eric just went straight cold and said, I killed a B. And what struck this friend wasn't even what he said, the confession of it all. It was just how calm Eric was when he said it. And for that reason, the friend honestly, at first didn't believe him. But Eric was dead serious. And he said it again. And this time he added that the body was in the backside seat of his truck. And at this point, the friend wasn't sure what to believe, but he was freaked out enough to tell Eric that he wasn't gonna help him out and he needed to basically get off the phone. But Eric wouldn't stop asking him to come. So this friend asked him point blank, like, if this is true, why are you even, like, telling me? Why are you risking telling anyone that this happened? And Eric said there is no risk because he had a burner phone. But this friend was like, listen, you messed up by telling me all of this. And that is when Eric finally hung up on him.

[Britt]

And this friend only reported this when the police questioned him?

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah, it seems like it. I don't know why. I'm gonna assume it's because he was afraid of being implicated somehow or I don't know if he really didn't believe him. I mean, had to have believed him enough to not go give him gas.

[Britt]

But the thing that sticks out to me the most is Eric already had a burner phone. I mean, spoiler alert that backfired. But having that plus, like, way earlier asking this friend to do a favor for him, it feels like there's some kind of plan here, right?

[Ashley Flowers]

I know, I know, but I mean, at this point, with Eric and Jose still in Mexico, this is all speculation. So using this information, police work with federal and international partners to bring Eric and Jose to justice abroad. And almost five months after Leslie's death, police get an unexpected call. I've been trying to cut back on coffee. So I've been looking for substitutions that I can work in throughout the day. And I give myself one cup of joe in the morning. And then for the afternoon, I've been trying Rye's Mushroom Coffee, which sounds wild at least to like my Midwest self. It did, but it's been a great find. And for my, like, I hate mushroom people. It doesn't taste like mushroom soup or anything. They have a bunch of different products, even hot chocolate. The benefits are awesome. Rise Mushroom Coffee is a custom powerhouse blend of six functional mushrooms crafted to fuel your body and mind all day long. It helps with all day energy, sharper focus, healthy digestion, and immune support. It's been a nice little boost for me in the afternoon when I get to that, like post lunch 2pm crash. And with over 150,000 5 star reviews, you likely won't be disappointed. Try Rise mushroom coffee with 15% off your first order at risesuperfoods.com crimejunkie. That's R Y Z E superfoods.com crimejunkIe don't just wake up, awaken with rise. Even those that embrace the chilly weather need something to break up long winter nights. Treat yourself to a little something without spending a fortune with quince. All quince Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they partner directly with top factories and cut out the cost of the middleman passing the savings onto you. And of course, they use premium fabrics and finishes for that luxury feel in every piece. I got this super chic brown knee length coat that I have been cozied up in all winter. This coat strikes the perfect balance between business and casual. I can dress it up, I can dress it down. That's what I love so much about all the pieces I get from Quint. They are true staple pieces that I have built my whole wardrobe with and around. Treat yourself this winter without the luxury price tag. Go to quince.com crimejunkie for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Quincom crimejunkie to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com crimejunkie Clark county investigators find out that on January 19, 2021, Jose turned himself in to border protection officials. So he gets extradited back to Clark County. And when he's back in Vegas in an interrogation room, he gives authorities a truly unbelievable version of events. Basically, he says that on August 29, Eric came home and he was acting pretty weird. So Jose decided out of the blue that they should just take this father son trip to Mexico because his son's acting weird. Hold up.

[Britt]

Is he not confessing?

[Ashley Flowers]

Oh, no. He's telling them they just went on a spur of the moment little trip together. Because listen, he doesn't know about all of the footage that police have. So they let him just like, tell this lie. And they're like, okay, like, is that your final answer? Cool. Now here, take a look real quick at what we have. And when he sees that they have video of him helping Eric drag Leslie's body out of the house, that's when he lets up. And he then starts telling another story. He says that he was up early that morning in the garage getting ready to take his wife to church, when he hears Eric pull up to the house, get out of the car with someone else. Of course, we know that someone else is Leslie. Now, he says he hears them go upstairs and he just kept working or doing whatever he's doing in the garage. And then about 30 minutes later, he says, Eric comes downstairs shirtless, dragging Leslie's Body down on sheets behind him. He's freaking out. Eric is saying that he had to do something with the body, but he refused to tell Joseph what happened. So Jose decided that they needed to get Leslie's body out of the house before the rest of the family woke up so that they wouldn't be implicated.

[Britt]

But weren't his wife and daughters, like, cleaning up the crime scene?

[Ashley Flowers]

Well, according to Leslie's family, that's what it looked like to them. But Jose insisted that they weren't destroying evidence. And he even tried to say that the reason he hosed down the driveway, which they have video of him doing, was because he, after helping Eric put Leslie's body in the trunk, he was like, oh, I remember about this HOA letter I got about our yard needing to be cleaned. So he's like, perfect time to do it, since I've got nothing else to do. Which is, like, roll your eyes.

[Britt]

I was gonna say, like, your son brings the lifeless body of a girl down from his room, and you're like, sure, I'll help you load this up in the car and then clean off the driveway and then head to church.

[Ashley Flowers]

It's, like, unhinged.

[Britt]

Yeah.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah.

[Britt]

And, like, did Eric ever say how Leslie died?

[Ashley Flowers]

That's a great question. Because they had lots of quality father son time on that run or that little trip they talk about. Right. But apparently, or at least according to Jose, Eric refused to give him any details. All he hinted at was that Leslie was drinking a lot that night and she possibly overdosed.

[Britt]

But Jose saw her body, didn't he?

[Ashley Flowers]

Mm. He says that when he saw Leslie lying on the bedsheet, he didn't notice any injuries on her body or even any blood or anything suspicious on the sheets. But he does say that she was only dressed in a shirt and her underwear were pulled on awkwardly.

[Britt]

Okay, let's say Eric is telling the truth and she overdosed. Like, wouldn't toxicology prove that? There's that. And then why wouldn't you just call 911?

[Ashley Flowers]

Right. So, yes and yes. So, to answer the first question, toxicology tests were delayed because of the COVID backlog. And if they were ever completed, I actually haven't seen the results reported on. In this kind of cases we work, this is, like, one of the newer ones. I just saw a comment from the coroner's office saying that there aren't any tests still pending, so I don't know whether or not they've ruled anything in out. Whatever. So the other thing. So Jose says Eric left without telling him when he would be back. He just said that he was going to, quote, destroy the body. So Jose went to his daughter's apartment, and Eric showed up there that afternoon acting weirder than even when he left, if that's possible. He was, like, making threats about taking his own life or killing Jose. Then he was rambling about people who were going to kill him and then the rest of their family. And when Jose heard this, he decided that it's going to be best for everyone if he got Eric out of the house, away from the family. And so that's when he says he decided to gather all the money he could from the house, drove Eric to California, and then into Mexico.

[Britt]

So, I mean, the million dollar question is, where is Eric now?

[Ashley Flowers]

Well, Jose claims that they got into Mexico by bus, but then when Mexican federal agents boarded the bus to, like, run checks, they both panicked and split up. So his story is that he hasn't seen Eric since.

[Britt]

Mm. Liar.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah. And apparently he's like, I have no idea where he's at now. So, like, I'm turning myself in, but, like, haven't seen my son pretty much since we left. So. Police are still looking for Eric when a grand jury indicts him and Jose. In February of 2021, a judge issues an arrest warrant for Eric, and they set Jose's bail at $100,000. By June, Eric is still in the wind, and Jose pleads guilty to destruction of evidence and accessory to murder. He says he takes responsibility for what he did and he apologizes for his actions. And Jose does end up getting the maximum sentence of two years in prison, which is a little bit insane, but if that makes you mad, do you want me to get your blood, like, fully boiling?

[Britt]

I mean, let me guess. He's already out.

[Ashley Flowers]

He got released after only eight months.

[Britt]

What?

[Ashley Flowers]

Even though there is no early release stipulation in his sentence, I guess he got credit for some programs he did in prison and just got out early.

[Britt]

And I know, like, you can't make sentences or charges on this, but I can't get over the fact that they knew Leslie. She's someone that they've known and knew.

[Ashley Flowers]

For years for a long time. I mean, like, between 10 and 15 years that their families knew each other. So to your point, too, right? Like, your son comes down with a body, and it's like another girl, you know, you know her family.

[Britt]

You saw her grow up. I mean, she's 22.

[Ashley Flowers]

Oh, and if it was an accident, why are you covering this up? Like, call the police? Like, you said it is unbelievable. Now, after Jose was sentenced, the DA's office called on lawmakers to escalate these kinds of crimes from misdemeanors to felonies, because it's a misdemeanor. But it's too late for Leslie and her family, who feel like justice hasn't been done for her. Especially because at this point, when Jose's going through all of this, like, Eric is still free. By November 2023, he's still at large, and police end up posting him as the focus of a Fugitive Friday social media campaign that they do. But weirdly, and I don't know exactly why this is, the flyer says that he's wanted for a probation violation, and it doesn't mention murder at all. So I don't know if, like, they didn't want to scare people. I don't know if they thought people would turn him in more easily if it was a probation violation. I don't know. I don't know. It also says that Eric was last seen in Durango, Mexico, but I don't know how they know that. There's no, like, specific date for that sighting either. But clearly they're, like, getting some kind of insight or tips or whatever. So 2024 rolls in this year that we're recording this January, February, March, the summer starts to pass. And then on July 30, 2024, police announce that Eric's arrested in Mexico after years of working with federal and international agencies to track him down. And right now, Eric is in custody while the extradition process plays out, like, as we speak.

[Britt]

How long will that take?

[Ashley Flowers]

It's based on the US's treaty with Mexico, and it can be a pretty complicated process. Like, the US has to put in a request through its diplomatic channels, and then the Mexican Foreign Ministry has to review the case and the evidence to make a decision. And it can take anywhere from a few months to quite literally years. But, I mean, what I know is the US and Mexico do have a good working relationship on this. Like, a few hundred criminals have been extradited from Mexico in the last decade or so. But there's a little bit of a wrinkle to all of this. So to extradite someone to the US from Mexico, the US has to agree not to seek the death penalty or even a life sentence, because those punishments are unconstitutional in Mexico, where he is.

[Britt]

Which would be like the baseline sentences for a murder in the us.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Britt]

I feel like there's still so much.

[Ashley Flowers]

We just don't know about this Like, I know.

[Britt]

Why did all this happen?

[Ashley Flowers]

I don't know, like, to what you said earlier. There's, like, something about this that does feel planned, right? The burner phone, the asking for this favor, like, having someone you can call. Like, was it always about Leslie? Would he have done this to someone else? Did he do this to someone else?

[Britt]

Yeah. Did he already know how to do this?

[Ashley Flowers]

Right. I mean, this case is such a strong reminder of our crime junkie rules. Like, you never really know anyone, ever. And you should always trust your gut, because Corelli remembers that there was always something off to her about the way Eric acted with her sister, Leslie. Like he was obsessed with her. But, of course, just because someone acts a little strange, that doesn't mean you'd believe they were capable of murder. Especially when you have a close relationship with them and, like, their whole family. And Leslie not only trusted Eric, she trusted his family, who were in the house the morning Eric did something or whenever whatever happened happened. But that whole family betrayed that trust. Especially Jose. In Nevada, a person directly related to an offender, like a parent, can't be charged as an accessory to the crime, even though Jose got the maximum sentence the state allows. Leslie's case is inspiring lawmakers to actually take a second look at those existing laws, which is at least, like, one bright spot that's coming out of this. The prosecutor's office is going to still have to take this to trial if and when Eric does return to the US And I'm sure they are still trying to build as strong of a case as possible. So if you or someone you know has information about Leslie Palacio's case, please contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Police Department Homicide at 702-828-3521. Or if you want to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-555. Crime Junkie is an Audio Chuck production. So what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve? Hi, crime junkies. Looking for something new to listen to in the new year? Audio Chuck has you covered. Audio Chuck has a full lineup of weekly shows with new episodes coming out every single weekday. From the chilling cases of park Predators to the original investigations of the Deck, to even the bizarre mysteries of so supernatural, there is something for everyone. So keep starting your week with us here on Crime Junkie, and know that Audio Check has you covered all the way through Friday. Check out all of our podcasts now, wherever you're listening.