Texas Murder Suspects Arrested in Maine on May 20

Avery E. Stemmons, 22, and Karina Gonzalez Barreto, 21, both from Killeen, Texas, were arrested in York, Maine, on May 20, 2025, after being wanted for murder, arson, and abuse of a corpse in Texas. Authorities had been alerted to their presence in the area on May 19, prompting a coordinated search by York police, U.S. Marshals, and Wells Police. Patrol officers spotted the pair walking on York Street while responding to an unrelated call and detained them without incident. A firearm believed to have been used in the Texas murder was recovered at the time of arrest. The suspects were processed at the York Police Station before being transported to the York County Jail in Alfred, Maine, as fugitives from justice. Investigators are also examining whether the suspects had any local connections in Maine.