Comanche County murder suspects arrested in Maine, ‘Person on fire’ investigation continues

COMANCHE COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Two suspects involved in the investigation of a ‘person on fire’ were arrested in Maine and taken to the Comanche County Jail on charges of murder and abuse of a corpse.

The Texas Rangers have reported that on May 15, 2025, the body of 41-year-old Marcio Maridell Anderson from Copperas Cove, Texas, was discovered in Comanche County. The Comanche County Sheriff’s Office initially stated that the case involved “a person on fire,” prompting a multi-jurisdictional and multi-agency investigation.

The Texas Rangers have identified two suspects from Killeen, Texas: 21-year-old Karina Gonzales Barreto and 21-year-old Avery Eugene Stemmons. The York Police Department in Maine was informed that Barreto and Stemmons might be in their jurisdiction. On May 20, while responding to a call, officers spotted two individuals on York Street who matched the descriptions of the suspects.

Officers stopped and identified the suspects in the murder case, taking them into custody without incident. According to the York Police Department, officers recovered a firearm believed to have been involved in the murder.

“US Marshals and Wells PD assisted on the scene with securing the suspects and evidence related to the crime of murder in Texas. The warrants were confirmed with Texas for Murder, Arson, and Abuse of a Corpse, and the suspects were placed into custody. Both suspects were transported to the York Police Station for processing and evidence collection before being transported to the York County Jail in Alfred as Fugitives from Justice,” the York Police Department shared online.

Barreto and Stemmons were booked into the Comanche County Jail on May 22, facing charges of murder and abuse of a corpse without legal authority. The investigation is still ongoing.