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Man wanted in alleged 2013 murder of his wife

Posted at 6:24 AM, Feb 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-05 15:26:17-05

Each Friday afternoon, we're looking for your help to track down fugitives in our state.

Wanted: Ismael Perez-Barraza
Charges: Accused of killing his wife

It was a Sunday night on October 6, 2013 when 23-year-old Ismael Perez-Barraza allegedly shot and killed his wife, 21-year-old Sandra Perez.

She was killed at her home near 75th Avenue and Indian School road after a family argument. The couple's kid, who was 2-months-old at the time, was home at the time of the shooting but was uninjured. The daughter, now 2 years old, is living with relatives.

Perez-Barraza, 23, allegedly fled in a green 2006 Nissan Titan and has an Arizona license plate of "520WCT" and a trailer hitch with a Garfield emblem.

Sandra's family last saw her at church that Sunday morning -- part of the group's weekly ritual.

Her family told ABC15 shortly after the murder, that they believed she was in an abusive relationship and encouraged her to get help, but she refused. 

"We tried to keep her safe," said Brenda Diaz, her cousin. "All she wanted to do was make her marriage work."

Perez's father, Oscar Lopez, believed her daughter's husband was a "violent man with weapons." He cautiously feared the worst. "Yes I knew [of the abuse]," he said. "If she didn't kill him, he would kill her."

Authorities issued a national alert after Perez-Barraza fled. They believe he has left Phoenix and could either be headed to California or to the Mexico border but was last seen in San Luis, Arizona in late October of 2013.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the shooting should call 911 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.