Carthage man allegedly kills wife in Kansas, drives body back to Missouri in camper

Court documents are shining light on the alleged killing of a 24-year-old woman by her husband.

Gavino McJunkins-Macias, 23, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, 24-year-old Kenia Lopez. Bond has been set at $1 million, according to a press release from the Miami County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office. McJunkins-Macias has also been charged with abandonment of a corpse by the Carthage Police Department.

As of June 14, McJunkins-Macias was in custody at the Jasper County Jail. On the morning of June 17, he entered a plea of not guilty. On the same day, an extradition hearing was held to return McJunkins-Macias to the authorities of Miami County, Kansas. McJunkins-Macias appeared via video from custody.

A probable cause statement from the Carthage Police Department says the Jasper County Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call from McJunkins-Macias about 11:35 a.m. Thursday, June 13. He told authorities the dead body of his wife was inside a camper at 600 N. Main in Carthage. Authorities found Lopez dead from an apparent homicide.

According to the Miami County Sheriff’s Department, Lopez was killed in the 33500 block of Metcalf Road in rural Louisburg, Kansas. The camper, with Lopez’s body still inside, was then driven to Carthage. McJunkins-Macias was arrested at the scene shortly after making the 911 call.

In an interview with police, McJunkins-Macias confirmed the camper was his. He said he brought the camper to Carthage about 7 a.m. with Lopez inside, knowing she was dead.

After arriving in Carthage on Thursday morning, security footage shows McJunkins-Macias detaching his vehicle from the camper. Documents say he then abandoned his wife’s body for approximately three-and-a-half hours while he met with family and “handled other business.”

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Carthage Police Department or the Miami County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office.