Arrest made in Christmas Eve 2021 murder of Talbot Co. woman

TRAPPE, Md. – Maryland State Police say they have made an arrest in connection to the murder of a woman on Christmas Eve 2021.

Shortly after 6:15 a.m. December 24, 2021, police were called to the 2900 block of Howell Point Road in Trappe for an apparent shooting, where they found the victim, identified as 33-year-old Marta Merina, outside suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Ibarra Juarez, and a warrant was obtained for his arrest. He was located in Oaxaca, Mexico on March 24, 2022, and his provisional arrest was requested in April 2022. Extradition was granted on October 5, 2022, but was deferred pending completion of his sentence in Mexico.

Juarez was extradited to Maryland on Tuesday and was charged with first and second degree murder, along with other related criminal charges. He is being held at the Talbot County Detention Center without bond.