21-year-old found dead in car trunk after breaking up with boyfriend, Texas cops say

A college student was found dead in the trunk of her car, and now her ex-boyfriend has been arrested, Texas police say.

The 21-year-old woman, identified by KTRK and KPRC as Idania Campos, was reported missing on Tuesday, Nov. 28, when she did not show up to school, according to the Houston Police Department. She was attending Houston Community College, KHOU reported.

Her Honda Civic was found in a residential area, but there was no sign of Campos, police said. Her ex-boyfriend, Ariel Cruz, helped family members in the search for the missing woman.

At 5:40 p.m., a family member gained access to the Civic and opened the trunk, where they found Campos’ body, according to police. Officers said she had trauma to her face, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cruz, 19, later confessed to killing Campos, police said. He told officers he killed her and stuffed her body in the trunk because “she broke up with him in the past,” according to court documents.

Cruz was charged with murder, police said in a Nov. 29 news release. Court documents obtained by KTRK say Cruz shot Campos.

“It’s very devastating for the family,” Lt. Larry Crowson told KHOU. “They discovered the body in the trunk. It’s a very devastating thing for them.”