Pregnant mother found murdered in Mexico as frantic search for missing children ends with surprise discovery

Mexican authorities person arrested the spouse of an Indiana parent who was recovered dormant months aft she disappeared with her 7 children, prosecutors said Monday.

Makala Pendley, 30, of Indianapolis, was identified arsenic the unfortunate aft authorities successful the confederate Mexican authorities of Chiapas investigated the find of a woman's assemblage adjacent the municipality of Zinacantán. Family members said Pendley was six months large astatine the clip of her disappearance.

During a Facebook Live briefing Monday, Chiapas State Prosecutor Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca announced the apprehension of a fishy identified arsenic Joseph "N," whom helium described arsenic Pendley's spouse and the superior fishy successful the case.

"In the coming hours, his transgression work volition beryllium determined, and helium whitethorn beryllium brought earlier justice. We volition question the maximum condemnation of 100 years for this perpetrator of femicide," Llaven Abarca said during the briefing.

FAMILY OF MISSING PREGNANT WOMAN REVEALS SUSPICIONS ABOUT DISAPPEARANCE

Makala Pendley poses for a photograph with respective of her children. Mexican authorities said Pendley, an Indianapolis parent of seven, was recovered dormant successful Chiapas aft she disappeared earlier this year. (GoFundMe)

The authoritative besides announced that Pendley's 7 children had been located and placed nether authorities protection. According to Llaven Abarca, the children were successful "good health," and authorities were coordinating with the U.S. Embassy to reunite them with household members.

Pendley and her 7 children were reported missing successful February aft traveling to Mexico. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a missing-person alert aft they disappeared from Indianapolis connected Feb. 23.

Days earlier identifying Pendley, Llaven Abarca disclosed during a abstracted Facebook Live briefing that investigators had recovered the assemblage of a pistillate successful the Elambó Bajo country of Zinacantán.

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Downtown Indianapolis is seen connected Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (Max Gersh/Indy Star)

According to Llaven Abarca, preliminary findings indicated the unfortunate died from a traumatic encephalon wounded caused by blunt-force trauma. Investigators judge the assemblage had been near astatine the determination for betwixt 8 and 12 hours earlier it was discovered.

Indianapolis constabulary antecedently said the household had been located successful Mexico past period and that the children were concisely taken into custody by Mexican authorities earlier being returned to Pendley.

During Monday's briefing, Llaven Abarca said authorities learned done coordination with U.S. officials that the fishy allegedly has a transgression past successful the United States, including an progressive apprehension warrant successful Alaska and an Indianapolis constabulary alert connected to the disappearance of Pendley and the children.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN

A presumption of the confederate Mexican authorities of Chiapas, wherever authorities said Makala Pendley's assemblage was discovered.

Llaven Abarca further alleged that the fishy had antecedently been detained connected charges including assault, robbery, fraud, amerciable weapons possession, intimidation and rape.

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Butler could not instantly beryllium reached for comment.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Llaven Abarca, the Chiapas State Prosecutor's Office and the U.S. State Department for further information.