Maryland State Police Arrest Wanted Fugitive in Connection with Talbot County Homicide
Maryland State Police homicide investigators arrested a wanted fugitive in connection with the Christmas Eve, 2021 murder of 33-year-old Marta Merina of Trappe, Maryland. 32-year-old Ibarra Juarez, who has no fixed address, is charged with first and second-degree murder along with other related criminal charges in relation to the murder of Merina. Juarez was located by Mexican authorities for an unrelated crime in Oaxaca, Mexico on March 24th, 2022. The U.S. Department of Justice鈥檚 Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican prosecutors to request his provisional arrest in April 2022. Extradition was granted on October 5th, 2022, but deferred pending completion of Ibarra Juarez鈥檚 sentence in Mexico. Ibarra Juarez was subsequently extradited to Maryland yesterday and processed at the Maryland State Police Easton Barrack for the murder of Marta Merina. Juarez is currently being held at the Talbot County Detention Center without bond.
Ibarra Juarez
Additional Information from Maryland State Police:
Shortly after 6:15 a.m. on Dec. 24, 2021 police responded to the 2900 block of Howell Point Road in Trappe for an apparent shooting. Upon their arrival, police found Merina outside of her home suffering from a gunshot wound. 聽Following a thorough investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and consultation with the Talbot County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office, a felony arrest warrant was issued for Juarez.聽
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit led the investigation. Assistance was provided by troopers from the Easton Barrack, the Maryland State Police Criminal Intelligence Section, crime scene technicians from the Forensic Sciences Division, troopers from the Maryland State Apprehension Team, Talbot County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, Talbot County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office, the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, and officers from the Salisbury City Police Department and the Fruitland Police Department.
Federal law enforcement assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service Baltimore Field Office, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Department of Justice鈥檚 Office of International Affairs, who worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure Ibarra Juarez鈥檚 arrest and extradition.
