"I want my mother's story known:" The murder of Mary Corral

Borderland Crimes

El Pasoan Maria Luisa Corral was found dead on April 29, 2005.

The 20-year-old had been beaten and strangled; her lifeless body was shoved inside a bedroom closet of the Lower Valley home belonging to the mother of Corral's boyfriend, 19-year-old Richard Flores.

Flores had thrown himself a birthday party at the house the night before, and was nowhere to be found.

With a history of violence between the couple, El Paso police suspected Flores killed Corral.

He ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

This is a tragic case of dating violence. The couple had been together off-and-on for four years. They had three children, all under the age of three at the time of the murder, who were suddenly without parents.

Nearly 20 years since Corral's murder, one of their daughters, now 21, opens up about her mom, and why she wants people to know what happened.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the El Paso Center Against Sexual & Family Violence at [phone]. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is [phone].