Authorities have identified the woman found deceased inside a burning trailer in Riverdale, Utah, on Monday—the same day an AMBER Alert was issued for her missing children.
Mayra Catalan-Dimas, 23, was discovered unresponsive when emergency crews responded to a fire in the area of 5100 South 1050 West on March 24. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later determined she had suffered a puncture wound to the neck and severe burns.
According to the Riverdale Police Department, the cause of death has been ruled as homicide, and the fire has been classified as arson. Officials initially withheld her identity until her family was notified.
Authorities quickly turned their attention to Catalan-Dimas’s two children, who were missing along with their father, Ricardo Trujillo. Once it was confirmed the children were unaccounted for, law enforcement issued an AMBER Alert and provided details about Trujillo’s vehicle.
Later that evening, police received a tip that the vehicle had been spotted in Springville Canyon. Officers responded to the area and located Trujillo with the children. He was taken into custody, while the children were initially placed in the care of Child Protective Services before being reunited with family.
Trujillo has been booked into the Weber County Correctional Facility on charges of aggravated murder and aggravated arson. Court records indicate he had a history of domestic violence, including a previous arrest in January and a guilty plea for misdemeanor assault in 2021.
A fundraising effort has been launched to help cover funeral expenses for Catalan-Dimas. The campaign describes her as a devoted mother whose passing has left an immeasurable loss.
The case remains under active investigation .
