A 37-year-old man was charged with capital murder Tuesday in the death of a native El Paso woman whose body was set on fire in Midland County earlier this month in retaliation for a drug dispute, sheriff’s officials announced.
Sergio Antonio “Tony” Cerna of Pecos was served with a murder warrant in the Reeves County Jail, where he was being held on unrelated drug charges, according to the Midland County Sheriff’s Office.
Cerna is accused of killing 25-year-old Saffire Marie Armenta, whose burnt body was discovered by firefighters who responded to reports of a fire along a Midland County road on Nov. 2.
His bond was set by a judge at $1 million on the murder charge, which is in addition to a $100,000 bond on felony drug possession.
Court documents allege that Cerna, who was in a relationship with Armenta, killed her because she stole eight ounces of methamphetamine from him and also was a “snitch” to police about his illegal drug activities.
According to a sheriff’s affidavit, Cenra sent Armenta text messages on the day of her death in which he threatened to “burn” her.
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