Christina Maria Scroggin (Charged with First Degree Murder)

Vehicle Suspect Was Driving

Update (04/03/2013):

Baxter County Sheriff’s Investigators traveled to Little Rock today to observe the examination of the victim’s body by personnel with the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office.  It was determined that the victim, RAUL SEGURA TURRIETA, had died as a result of sustaining three (3) gunshot wounds to his head and chest from a handgun.  A .38 caliber revolver had been found inside the victim's vehicle when it was searched.  The Sheriff's Office is waiting on the ballistic results to determine whether this is the weapon used.

Investigators also learned that TURRIETA and the suspect, CHRISTINA MARIA SCROGGIN, had been in Little Rock on Monday evening. There was a sales slip from a retail establishment in the Little Rock area found in the victim’s vehicle when Investigators searched it yesterday.  Investigators interviewed three persons in the Little Rock vicinity today, and they are working on establishing a timeline for the death of TURRIETA. 

CHRISTINA SCROGGIN remains in the Baxter County Detention Center today on a charge of Murder in the First Degree.  She will be brought before the Baxter County Circuit Court tomorrow for a first appearance.

The investigation into the death of 24 year old RAUL TURRIETA is continuing.

/s/ Sheriff John Montgomery

Original Release below (04/02/2013):

The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation after finding the body of a man in a vehicle at 244 CR 343 this morning. A 911 call was received from this address at approximately 5:50 AM reporting that a person had driven to that residence and stated she may have killed someone. Upon arrival, deputies found the body of a man inside the trunk of the vehicle.

The victim has been identified as 24 year old RAUL SEGURA TURRIETA, who resided in Mountain Home. The cause of death has yet to be determined. The body will be sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office in Little Rock for autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

The person who drove the vehicle with the body in it to this residence was taken into custody at the residence. Investigators served two search warrants today, one on the vehicle and the other at the victim’s residence in Mountain Home. After conferring with the Prosecuting Attorney, the decision was made to charge the suspect with murdering the victim. The location or locations of the original crime scene or the circumstances surrounding the death are still under investigation.

CHRISTINA MARIA SCROGGIN, 25 years old of rural Mountain Home, has been incarcerated in the Detention Center on a charge of Murder in the First Degree. A preliminary bond has been set at $1,000,000 by the Prosecuting Attorney. She will appear in Circuit Court on April 4^th.

The Mountain Home Police Department and Arkansas State Police are assisting in the investigation. The investigation is continuing, and no additional details can be released at this time.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff