UPDATE: Munoz-Verudes is now in custody, following his arrest last Saturday, according to detectives. He was due in court today.
ORIGINAL STORY: Tomball police are searching for a man they say lured a 17-year-old girl to his home with promises of a spiritual blessing and proceeded to rape her.
Mario Munoz-Verudes, 60, has been charged with sexual assault. Police say he claims to perform “black magic.” Police said that according to documents found in his home, the man is an illegal immigrant, according to a citation from the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
The victim told police that Munoz-Verudes is a family friend and a member of their church. On Sept. 23 the man told her that she “looked sick and needed a blessing.” He invited her to his home and she accepted.
When they arrived at the man’s home, he took her into the bedroom where there who two mattresses, and a cooking pot on the floor. Statements say that the man lit incense in the cooking pot, then attacked the teen.
The victim said that Munoz-Verudes then placed his hand over her mouth and pushed onto the mattresses. He then raped the victim, according to police.
Afterwards, the man told the girl to get dressed and leave, warning her that he would put a curse on her if she told anyone about the assault.
Police said the victim did not tell anyone of the rape for a few days, that is until he attempted to lure her younger sister to his home as well.
“The victim came forward to her family when he invited her younger sister to his house for a ‘blessing’ as well,” Tomball police Cpt. Rickey Doerre said. “He was at a family gathering and the victim knew exactly what would happen to her sister if she went to his house.”
Investigators then went to the man’s home and found the items she described in the bedroom.
The man remains at large. Police are asking that anyone with information on Munoz-Verudes whereabouts contact them at 281-351-5451. Police have forward the man’s information to INS and Border Patrol. He will have a $60,000 bond upon his arrest.
