"48 Hours" investigates suspicious death of Texas mom Maria Muñoz | Forensic Files

a new 48 Hours investigation looks into the death of a Texas woman that baffled investigators a medical examiner says
31-year-old Maria Munoz died of a combination of drugs in her system but they couldn't determine how those drugs
got there this week's 48 Hours Aaron morard reports on how the woman's journals played a key role in the
case in the early morning hours of September 22nd 2020 Laro police officer gregoria DEA Cruz respond responded to
an emergency Call at a home on Canyon Oak Drive H peot dressed in teal surgical scrubs was performing CPR on
his 31-year-old wife and stay-at-home mom Maria Munoz she was warm she was still warm to touch Howell a nurse
anesthetist had told the 911 operator that he found his wife unresponsive and that she may have taken pills
claz claz aam a drug often used to treat anxiety she's been super depressed Maria
who had been prescribed medication was seeking help through the church she was also writing in journals I don't want to
be sad anymore I don't want my heart to hurt I don't want my mind to be in torture after Maria Munoz died an
autopsy was done no pill residue from Clen aipan was found in her system but a toxicology report with later reveal the
presence of seven other drugs mostly used for surgery Sergeant Lis mat so positive for
morphine Demerol verset propal ketamine lidocaine Naran a team of prosecutors led by attorney Marisella jackaman was
assigned to the case it was enough medication to survive two major surgeries it was so much was Maria's
death a suicide an accident or murder authorities turned toward journals for help how crucial were those journals
very Aaron rori joins us now Aaron wow well this is a new one for me um and I think you know the idea of a weapon
medication is unusual and I think it could only have been pulled off by someone who knew a lot about medications
but why were they even suspicious to begin with well and again I've learned a lot working on this story their first
thought was if you do take medication all they knew is that she had some kind of mixed drug interaction she was
unresponsive and then she died and so but normally if you take something the pills are going to be right next to you
um nothing was there when when the husband went to show what drugs he thought she had taken he had to go into
the bathroom to get it and they're like well why why would they be in the bathroom it it didn't make any sense at
all but again they couldn't say for sure someone had done it she had no um defensive wounds it was possible that
she had taken all those medications somewhere else and then walked over and collapsed and so he was not charged for
4 months the Cliffhanger at the end was the journals so what did they find well the journals are amazing I don't think
the husband had any idea that she was riding all the way really up to the day she died
this was a woman who was depressed um no question another reason why they weren't
absolutely sure she had been murdered um but they also found some hope um in it and that's one of the reasons why the
medical examiner thought I don't think she took her own life and it was used at trial it's one of the few times that a
victim basically testifies a trial because these journals were so powerful amazing as the husband was with all his
knowledge people always slip up some kind of does not pay I don't know if he knew how much she had written in the
journal her friends knew oh absolutely we will leave the rest for the report Aon thank you very much appreciate it
you can see aon's full report the journals of Maria munes on 48 hours tomorrow night at 109 Central here on
CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus

In the early morning of Sept. 22, 2020, Officer Gregorio De La Cruz responded to a call at a home in Laredo, Texas. At the top of the stairs of the house, Joel Pellot, dressed in surgical scrubs, was performing CPR on his wife, 31-year-old Maria Muñoz. Paramedics and police jumped in to help, but at 3:58 a.m. local time, less than three hours after Pellot called 911, his wife was declared dead inside their home. CBS News' Erin Moriarty reports on what happened.

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Brief Summary

Maria Munoz's death involved mysterious drugs and revealing journals that played a key role in the investigation.

Key points

The Mysterious Death of Maria Munoz. A Texas woman's death raises questions about drugs and possible foul play. 'How crucial were those journals?'
Journals Reveal Hidden Struggles. Maria's journals provide insight into her mental state before her death. 'This was a woman who was depressed.'

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I don't want to be sad anymore.

Maria's journal entry expressing her struggle with depression.

1:13WatchDec 15, 2023

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