Father admits son died while in his care | KVII

Excerpt

We have new information regarding the father of Miguel Nunez.

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:25:17 GMT — UPDATE:

We have new information regarding the father of Miguel Nunez. Police believe that the body found in a cooler earlier this week is that of Miguel, they are still waiting DNA results to confirm that.

The official complaint shows that Robert Nunez says his baby son Miguel died while in his care, and he placed the body in a cooler.

That statement was in a complaint of perjury against Nunez, but it does not say that he confessed to killing his son.

Charges related to the child death investigation were filed with the 47th District Attorney's office Friday.

Nunez was charged with aggravated perjury, he's accused of lying to the grand jury earlier this year, which is a felony offense.

At this time Nunez is the only suspect in this case, and additional charges may be presented as the investigation proceeds.

Previously Posted, Friday morning:

Special Crimes Unit detectives interviewed Robert Nunez, Miguel's father, in Borger, after his arrest there on Wednesday, July 21. After that interview, charges of Aggravated Perjury were filed against him by the Potter County District Attorney's office. That charge is related to Nunez's prior testimony in front of a grand jury earlier this year.

Nunez is the only suspect in the case and additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.

Previously Posted Thursday evening:

Amarillo police believe they may have solved a bizarre 6-year-old missing person case that we profiled just last week. Police released a photo of what they believe little Miguel Angel Nunez would have looked like since his disappearance back in 2004 at the age of eight months.

His mother was in the Potter County Jail at the time of his disappearance. When she was released, she went home and found her husband Robert Sanchez Nunez, but no Miguel. He told her and police the child was living with relatives in Mexico at the time, but he was never found.

On Monday, of this week, police were called to the house where the Nunez's lived, after the current occupants found a cooler in the attic with suspicious contents.

"We believe that the remains were that of Miguel Angel Nunez who was born in 2003 and hasn't been seen since 2004," said Lt. Gary Trupe, with the Special Crimes Unit.

Investigators asked all the local news organizations to hold the story until they could find their prime suspect who was living in the area. Wednesday night, that man, believed to be the father but not yet confirmed by police, was found and is currently being questioned.

"The one person we needed to talk to immediately and we've been looking for him for three days. I'm sorry I couldn't use y'all because if I had used you guys saying "I'm looking for this person of interest", he was gone," said Trupe.

The baby's body was sent off for an autopsy and DNA samples will be taken to corroborate his identity. Lieutenant Gary Trupe believes it is Miguel and wants to bring closure for the mother and bring the guilty to justice.

"I'm hoping we can bring justice to him for Miguel and hold that person responsible for what...disposing of him, putting him up there in that attic, it's, gotta be...it's just terrible."

Right now, the single suspect in this case has only outstanding misdemeanor charges against him. Police are concerned that if he doesn't face felony charges which would keep him in jail, he would be a flight risk if he makes bail.

Previously Posted Thursday morning:

Amarillo police may have a break in a missing persons case we told you about last week.

Back in 2004, 8-month old Miguel Angel Nunez was left in the custody of his father while his mother was incarcerated for a misdemeanor offense.

Once she was released, she returned home to find her husband but no child, and ever since then Miguel has been missing.

Earlier this week, police responded to a call of an ice chest found in an attic with suspicious contents. It was discovered in the same house Miguel was living in when he was first reported missing.

Police determined it was the body of a young boy inside the chest and believe it to be Miguel.

Overnight, police were able to locate their main suspect, believed to be the boy's father, Robert Sanchez Nunez, but police will not confirm that at this time. That suspect is currently in custody and police are questioning him.

Autopsy results have been inconclusive so far and the body has been sent off to the University of North Texas for DNA comparisons.

Tune in tonight on ProNews 7 at 5, 6, and 10 for more information.