Cary police say woman's death was murder

Cary, N.C. — Police ruled that the death of a 29-year-old woman, whose body was found by her roommates Saturday morning, was a homicide after they received preliminary autopsy results Sunday.

Officers named Arnulfo Barron Cobos as a suspect in the death of Maria Teresa Herrera-Diaz. Cobos is Herrera-Diaz's common-law husband, police said.

"Our focus in this very sad case is to find Mr. Cobos," police Chief Pat Bazemore said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Maria's family as we work to bring a certain resolution to this terrible tragedy."

Herrera-Diaz's roommates found her dead in her residence at 102 Dunhagen Place. The cause of her death has not been released.

Police described Cobos as an Hispanic man, about 50 years old, standing 5 feet 6 to 7 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds. In a picture distributed by police, he has a mustache, and police said he also has a goatee.

Investigators believe Cobos left Herrera-Diaz's home between 4:15 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. Saturday. He was driving a stolen silver 2004 Saturn L-300, with North Carolina license plate number XWT-5469.

Cobos did not report to work at the LaTapita Supermarket in Raleigh as scheduled, and his whereabouts were unknown, police said.

Anyone with information related to this incident should call the Cary Police Department Watch Commander at 919-469-4016.