Rios charged in Alejandra's slaying

Delaware County authorities announced Monday they have filed charges of murder, rape and child molesting against a Fort Wayne man in connection with the death of 10-year-old Alejandra Guitierrez.

Simon Rios, 33, is already facing Allen County murder charges in connection with the death of his wife and three daughters, and now will face additional charges in Delaware County.

The announcement about the latest charges against Rios was made late this afternoon during a news conference by Delaware County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Mark McKinney and Sheriff George Sheridan.

Alejandra disappeared the morning of Dec. 8, on her way to a school bus stop at South Calhoun Street and Branning Avenue. Her body was found near a gravel pit in Delaware County near Muncie on Dec. 19.

Her death was ruled a homicide. The bus stop was near Rios’ home.

Five days after Alejandra’s disappearance, Rios’ wife and three daughters were found dead inside the family’s home on South Calhoun Street. Their deaths were ruled homicides and Rios is facing four counts of murder and two counts of moving a body in Allen County.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has promised more on this developing story after 7 a.m. Fort Wayne time Tuesday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, as they have been over the last three months. As a father of two little girls, Alejandra's demise hit home with me especially. There's a special place in hell for freaks who would extinguish a young light like Alejandra for a brief moment of personal gratification. I, for one, would be happy to send these people there. But that, of course, must be left to our justice system. And we haven't even touched on the rest of this story: What about the other victims, the Rios family? There are alot of unanswered questions that we all have asked about both of these murders. Will we get the answers eventually? Will we find any closure from them if we do? I wish I had THAT answer. . .

Click here for more information on Alejandra's disappearance.