Richard Pastor Perez remains wanted on a murder warrant while volunteers search for missing Denton mother Marjulin Daiuru Briceño Arrieta.
DENTON, TX — Denton police and the FBI are continuing their search for a 49-year-old man wanted on a murder warrant in connection with the disappearance of his estranged wife, as volunteers search roads, creeks and wooded areas for signs of the missing mother of three.
Marjulin Daiuru Briceño Arrieta, 42, has been missing since Sept. 28, when police say she met Richard Pastor Perez at his apartment in the 1900 block of North Ruddell Street in Denton. Investigators later obtained a murder warrant for Perez after concluding that evidence gathered during the investigation indicated Briceño Arrieta had been killed. Her remains have not been found, and Perez remains at large.
Briceño Arrieta met Perez around 6:45 p.m. Sept. 28, according to the Denton Police Department. Her family contacted authorities after relatives could not reach either of them. Police said the family was concerned for her safety because of what investigators described as Perez’s history of abuse against her. Authorities have not publicly disclosed all of the evidence that led detectives to seek the murder warrant.
Investigators found Briceño Arrieta’s vehicle abandoned near Perez’s apartment, while Perez’s white 2013 Ford Escape was missing. Police said the SUV’s license plate had been swapped. License-plate detection records later showed the vehicle traveling on Highway 287 in Wichita Falls around 9 p.m. Sept. 28 and in Donley County, southeast of Amarillo, shortly after 1 a.m. the next day. The SUV was detected west of Amarillo on Interstate 40 later Sept. 29.
The trail then extended into New Mexico. Albuquerque police located the Ford Escape after receiving an alert tied to its license plate. Investigators said surveillance video showed the SUV arriving at an Albuquerque hotel on Sept. 30. A man matching Perez’s description was seen leaving the vehicle before it was abandoned in the parking lot, according to Denton police. Authorities said no one else was seen getting out of the vehicle. Albuquerque police recovered and processed the SUV for possible evidence.
As investigators continued trying to locate Perez, volunteers also organized searches for Briceño Arrieta. In October, volunteers found her wallet along Highway 380 near Decatur, northwest of Denton. The discovery shifted attention toward the highway corridor and surrounding rural areas. Private investigator Alfonso Solis told FOX 4 that searchers were concentrating on creeks and wooded areas near the Wise County line as they worked to narrow the area that needed to be examined.
About 20 volunteers took part in another search Sunday, Nov. 8, according to local reports. Family members and supporters have continued looking for information that could establish what happened after Briceño Arrieta met Perez. Police have not announced that her remains have been located, and authorities have not publicly identified a precise location where they believe she was killed.
Denton police have said the FBI Dallas Field Office is helping with the effort to locate Perez. Authorities previously said he may have traveled outside Texas after leaving the Denton area. His exact whereabouts remained unknown as of Nov. 9. The Albuquerque Police Department previously cautioned that Perez should be considered armed and dangerous.
Denton County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to Perez’s arrest. Police and federal investigators continue searching for him while volunteers remain focused on finding Briceño Arrieta. No arrest had been announced and no confirmed recovery of her remains had been reported by Monday.
Author note: Last updated November 9, 2026.