Sep 26, 2007 6:53 pm US/Central
Police Issue Arrest Warrant In Teen's Murder
Police Identify Body Of Burned Teenager
CARROLLTON (CBS 11 News) ―
Wednesday afternoon police found the car of a woman whose body was burned and dumped in Carrollton yesterday. Police say the vehicle was near the University of North Texas campus in Denton.
Earlier Wednesday the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office positively identified the teenager, whose body was found burned near a business park, as 19-year-old Melanie Goodwin of Arlington.
"The world lost an incredible person in Melanie. She was a wonderful spirit. She was a smart, beautiful person. The world is worst off without her," said family friend Mathew Bobo. "It's a very sad commentary on our society, not only that this would happen, but that society would loose somebody as wonderful as Melanie."
Goodwin's body was found Tuesday morning in the 3200 block of Keller Springs Road.
Police believe Goodwin was last seen early Tuesday morning at a convenience store at Mayhill Road and I-35E in Denton. While at the store Goodwin was seen talking to a man. The two later left together in the victim's red 2002 Saturn 2-door car.
Late Wednesday afternoon police identified the man as Ernesto Reyes, a 20-year-old Denton man. Officers issued an arrest warrant for Reyes, charging him with Goodwin's murder.
Goodwin was well known in the youth programs of Theater Arlington. Her last performance was as the fairy godmother in a 2006 production of Cinderella. Last year the teen enrolled at UNT.
The VP for University Relations, Communications and Marketing, Deborah Leliaert, released a campus statement that said, in part, "Melanie, a sophomore resident student from Arlington who started her studies at UNT in fall 2006, was, like all of our students, a valued member of our university family. I am deeply shocked and saddened by her death, as I am sure many of you are. As we mourn, I ask that you join me in keeping Melanie's family and friends in our hearts."
A candlelight vigil was held for Goodwin at Wednesday night at Saint Andrews United Methodist Church in south Arlington.
Hundreds of mourners gathered to remember her. They prayed for strength and for answers to questions.
"She's touched too many people for this to happen and go unnoticed," said Melanie's friend Joseph Capers.
Police say Goodwin was a victim of some kind of blunt force trauma, but are still investigating the exact cause of her death.
Anyone with information about Ernesto Reyes is asked to call the Carrollton Police Department at (972) 466-3322.
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