A Texas man was sentenced to prison after officials say he killed his ex-girlfriend and dismembered her body because he thought she stole his deceased dad’s Social Security card.
Andres Perez Tarnava III was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison, according to court records.
McClatchy News reached out to Tarnava’s attorney for comment on Nov. 26 but didn’t immediately hear back.
Tarnava was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Marisol Klingelhofer, in April 2021, according to KSAT.
Tarnava believed Klingelhofer stole documents belonging to his late father, including his Social Security card and ID, according to WOAI.
A witness testified in court that Klingelhofer was visiting him when Tarnava approached them with a gun, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The witness said he ran and thought Klingelhofer ran too, but when he turned to look, he saw Tarnava shoot her then drag her body into his vehicle, the outlet reported.
The witness said Tarnava later told him that he took her body to his home and “cut her up and burned her,” according to the outlet.
When Tarnava was questioned by police, he said he shot Klingelhofer because he believed she stole his late father’s military ID and Social Security card, according to KSAT.
“You aren’t just going to take something from me and just let it go,” Tarnava told investigators, the outlet reported. “My dad was my world and I would do it again.”
Investigators found a burn pit with two small barrels and small bones, according to the Express-News.
Klingelhofer was a mother, according to KABB.
“We didn’t get to say goodbye, we didn’t get to give, I didn’t get to give her that last hug and tell her I love you,” her daughter, Priscilla Gonzalez, told the news outlet.
She also had an 11-year-old son, the outlet reported.
“There is never a reason to use violence in any situation. Had the defendant not taken matters into his own hands, Marisol would be alive today. Our office is always ready to seek justice and today’s verdict is a representation of that. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Marisol Klingelhofer,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales told WOAI.
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