Authorities in the Tomball, Texas, area made a gruesome discovery when they found the body of a missing man wrapped in black plastic and secured with duct tape. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office had been conducting a welfare check at a property on Ezekiel Road near the SH 249 and Grand Parkway interchange. The victim, identified as 32-year-old Francisco Romero, was reported missing by his wife. Two individuals, Narciso Cruz Banos, 49, and Francisca Salazar Carrizales, 42, who own the property, were subsequently arrested in connection with Romero’s death.
According to court documents, Banos and Carrizales have been charged with felony murder, aggravated kidnapping, and tampering with evidence of a human corpse. Both individuals requested court-appointed attorneys during their appearance in probable cause court. It is worth noting that neither Banos nor Carrizales are U.S. citizens. Banos, who has lived in the Houston area for 30 years, runs an electrical business. His wife also serves as a secretary in this business. The couple has two children together, aged 11 and 12.
Banos has a criminal history that includes an aggravated assault charge, an unlawful carrying of a weapon charge from 2006, and a DWI conviction from 2021. As a result, he will be required to wear an ankle monitor. The bond for Banos was set at $600,000, while Carrizales’ bond was set at $500,000. Banos was also placed under house arrest, and the couple was prohibited from having any contact with each other.
Romero’s wife informed deputies that her husband had called her on Thursday, stating that he would be spending the night at his bosses house and would go to work from there the next morning. However, he never arrived at work, raising suspicions. The wife also mentioned that Romero sounded injured during the phone call. The last known location of Romero was the Ezekiel Road address on Friday.
According to court documents, Banos informed Romero’s wife that her husband had been having an affair with Carrizales and that he had assaulted him. Carrizales then contacted Romero’s wife, instructing her to pick up his last paycheck. This was unusual since they typically used direct deposit. She also mentioned that Romero’s truck was still on the property and could be retrieved on Monday.
Further investigation revealed that Banos had tied Romero up with a belt and straps after discovering the affair. Court records state that Banos proceeded to beat Romero with the stock end of a rifle and the grip of a handgun over an extended period. Eventually, Banos told Romero to leave his property, but Romero appeared incoherent and unable to drive. He then requested to sleep on the property, leading Banos and Carrizales to contact his wife.
Upon their return from running errands, Banos and Carrizales found Romero unresponsive and determined that he had died. They subsequently wrapped his body in plastic and left it in a building on their property.