Husband Kills Wife, Buries Body In Boynton Beach Backyard: Report

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — Roberto Colon, 66, was arrested early Saturday and charged with the murder of his wife after her body was found buried in his Boynton Beach backyard, WPTV reported.

Mary Stella Gomez-Mullet, 44, had been missing for about two weeks after being reported missing Feb. 20, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. The last time anyone had heard from her was during a call with a friend Feb. 18, reports said.

The friend told police she heard Gomez-Mullet yell, “No, no, no Roberto” as she arrived at her husband’s home. The call ended abruptly and when the friend tried calling back, it went to voicemail, reports said.

Police searched Colon’s home in the 150 block of Southeast 28th Court Feb. 26, finding blood stains in several locations, including on the front door, in the garage and in a workshop, reports said.

While talking with detectives, Colon referred to his workshop as his “abattoir,” a Spanish word that means “slaughterhouse” in English, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

He also challenged investigators to “find the body” and told them Gomez-Mullet was “swimming with the fishes,” WPTV reported.

Days later, after receiving a tip that Colon had previously threatened to kill his wife and bury her in his backyard, police found a body buried there, reports said. They identified Gomez-Mullet using her fingerprints.

The couple married so that Gomez-Mullet could become a U.S. citizen, reports said. In exchange, she would care for Colon’s mother, who has dementia. Prior to her murder, Colon accused his wife of stealing money from his mother.

Colon was charged with first-degree murder and marijuana possession, reports said.