A Texas bakery owner has been arrested for murder after he shared a GoFundMe page for the grieving family of a local artist who he allegedly stabbed to death.
Manuel Tellez, 45, is accused of killing Anthony Moreno, 52, in an alleyway behind Kings Highway in Dallas back on 3 April before setting the victim’s body alight.
The two men, who were both well-known in the local community, shared a “romantic interest” in the same woman, according to an affidavit.
Dallas police said that the savage murder unfolded moments after Mr Tellez interviewed Mr Moreno on Instagram Live about the artist’s sugar skull art which was displayed inside the alleged killer’s business Maroches Bakery.
For four days, the baker evaded justice and is said to have shared the link to the GoFundMe on his Facebook page.
He was finally arrested on 7 April, sending shockwaves across the community and among the victim’s family.
Mr Moreno’s wife Ofelia Moreno wrote on the GoFundMe page of her shock that her husband’s accused killer posted the link knowing he was responsible for his death.
“OMG I can not believe he shared this! He killed my husband and made it seem like everything was normal,” she wrote.
According to the affidavit, obtained by The Dallas Morning News, Mr Tellez interviewed Mr Moreno in his bakery in the early hours of 3 April.
Mr Moreno texted his wife at around 12:15am saying they had wrapped up the interview and that he was heading home soon, the affidavit said.
Less than two hours later, the two men walked to an alley a couple of blocks away where Mr Tellez allegedly stabbed Mr Moreno multiple times.
The killer left the scene, changing his clothing before returning around an hour later at 3am to douse his victim’s body in gasoline and set it alight, according to the affidavit.
Later that morning, police were called to a report of a body in the alleyway and found Mr Moreno’s charred remains.
Investigators tracked down the alleged killer using cellphone records and surveillance footage from a nearby gas station which allegedly shows him wearing a white latex glove while filling up a gas can.
According to the affidavit, a similar glove was found at the scene of the crime.
Separate footage also allegedly shows Mr Tellez walking back from the alley in the direction of the bakery just after killing Mr Moreno.
Members of the local Latino and arts community spoke of their shock at the popular artist’s slaying.
Dallas artist Modesto Aceves told The Dallas Morning News that he had spoken to his friend just hours before his death.
He said that Mr Moreno had invited him to join him at an art show that day but that he couldn’t make it.
“It really hit me hard because if I would have been with him, maybe this wouldn’t have happened,” he said.
Mr Aceves said he would often visit the bakery with his friend and knew of no issue between the two men, saying he “couldn’t believe it” when he learned of Mr Tellez’s arrest.
Dallas Police announced Mr Tellez’s arrest on Thursday.
He was being held at Dallas County Jail where his bail has been set at $1.5m.
