Here's the thing, okay? We just searched your house. What do you think we found there? I don't know. Well, you do know cuz it's your house and you know what you have there. The tape. Mhm. There's a lot of things that I should have done better. I regret it. Uh I regret everything that I did. This is Jose Espinoza, a killer husband who has just realized that cops found the very item he used to try and hide a body with. And as the realization of his life being over settles in, Jose will be forced to tell the detectives every painful detail of his crimes. I know you know what happened and I need you to be honest, man, cuz that's the only way forward. So, what did you do? I think I have it. Late into September 16th, 2023, a 35-year-old trans woman, Sherilyn Marjorie, finished her drag show in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The hours passed into the evening of the very next day, but Sherilyn was not heard from again as friends and family repeatedly tried to get in touch. Immediately, the Albuquerque Police Department was contacted and Sherilyn was reported missing as search parties desperately tried to find her. They would find a clue a week later, but it was far from good news. Sherilyn's car was found abandoned at Love's Travel Stop along Route 66 on September 24th. And 2 days later, the worst that could happen happened. At 1:20 a.m. on September 26th, Sherilyn Marjorie was found deceased in a drainage tunnel with her hands, feet, and head all wrapped up in red tape. With no known public disputes or obvious leads, the investigation initially stalled. After a month of interviews, search warrants, and going through all the surveillance footage in the area, investigators finally had a suspect, 29-year-old Jose Mendoza Espinoza, who was seen getting intimate with Sherilyn in her car on the evening of September 17th. Not only that, but Jose lived less than a mile away in a trailer park north of the tunnel where the body was hidden. But how exactly were Jose and Sherilyn connected? And if Jose was the killer, what in the world happened between the two? To get answers, Jose was brought in for an interview on October 11th, where he would immediately reveal a handful of concerning details. So, tell me a little bit about you know, your wife. Um so, we talked a lot about her and you were telling me that uh you know, you share a lot of things with with her. What types of things do you share with her? Just um um uh like I share my personal stuff. Okay. Like everything personal. All right. I don't know her. Everything that's going on at work. But like I told you lately, we we just been to listen from and just have the problems. Yeah. Okay. And have you been seeing anybody else on Yes. Yeah. We That's the main reason uh And I'm not And this is no judgement. I I I don't want you to feel like I'm judging you. No, no. I'm I'm not at all. So, just I just want to We've been having trouble since the year it started. Okay. Cuz we haven't been intimate since Okay. Really? Yeah. So, it was hard for me. I don't know I can understand that, you know. I get And so, I started talking to this uh this girl and then went to the movies and she found out and that's what caused everything for us to start getting in the divorce. Oh, so she found out you were So, when you say she, you meant Valeria? Okay, so she found out you went out with the with the person. Okay. Um and then had you still continued to see that person? No. No? No, I stopped. I have a Tinder. Yeah. But other than that, I haven't been and another friend, an ex from high school, we started talking and and everything, but What's your ex's name? Uh Melvis? Melvis. Melvis. Okay. And other than that, it's just been Tinder. Okay. After cheating on his wife for several years, it's just been Tinder. And it was this constant cheating that landed Jose right into Sherilyn's hands, who had much bigger ambitions than just finding a lover. Where would you typically see women, or would you see men as well? Uh, yes. Um, men, too. Okay. I can say that like I'm like bi. And then what about, uh, like transgender people? Did you ever come across any? Yes. I met some transgender people, too. Okay. And when was the last time you met up with one of them? Uh, I think tomorrow. About a month ago? Yeah, a month or two months ago. Do you know that person's name? Yes. It's the the girl that disappeared. Oh, really? Sherilyn. Okay. Uh, we were talking. We met on Tinder, actually. Oh, wow. We met for like years. Uh, we met and that's it. Uh, we kind of do We didn't do anything. Um, and that's it. Okay. Then we didn't I actually went to met her in a hotel. And then it was right there on course. Of course, right there on the Boulevard of the Allies. Oh, right there like the where a bunch of the different motels are? So, we I went there and um she didn't I didn't want to go inside the hotel cuz I didn't know who was in there. Sure. And then I left and then she called me again and I was like, "I'm going to your place." And then I was like, "Okay." And then we just uh, did things and that's it. She went her way and I went my way. That was the last time I I talked to her. And then I just started seeing everything on Facebook about her. And then yeah. Yeah. So, from there, um so was she in her car? Yeah, she was in the white car. Okay. Like I told you that I met her in the uh cuz she was with someone in the in the hotel that I told you. Yeah. And she told me to go in. I was like, "No, I'm like, I'm not going to go in." Do you know who? No. No, I didn't get out. Oh, yeah. But you she didn't tell you who was there or anything. Do you know if it was a male or a female? No, I don't remember. And I was like, "I'm not going to go in." Sure. And then Probably smart, you know. Yeah, I I left and then she texted me again and we had like kind of a rough conversation. And was this through like an app? What is that? Like an application like talking? WhatsApp? Like through Tinder? Oh, through WhatsApp? Okay. When detectives went through the WhatsApp chats Jose mentioned, they found everything to be wiped clean. Messages were deleted and any traces of contact with Sherilyn were erased. So, what is Jose hiding? And was it really as simple as him removing evidence of his infidelity? So, back Back time when we met, we kind of got out of an STD. You got an STD? Okay. And we kind of had trouble with that and she was like, "Oh, uh you need to do this to me or I'm going to tell your wife." So, every time I meet with her, it was sexual. Oh, okay. Made me to if I don't want it to. Oh, wow. Okay. So, um cuz you know, she would have told my wife and I didn't want her to know. Sure. And from there, I never saw her again since that day. Since that day? Okay. We did that and then she uh she she got in her car Yeah. and I left. I don't know where she went. You don't know where she went? Okay. Um so, do you remember what day? Like about Do you remember what day? It was a Sunday, if I remember well. Like on a Sunday? Yeah. But it was it wasn't that late. It was like around 5:00, I think it was. Okay. It was early. Yeah. Yeah. And so you go you you said you met up about 5:00 you thought? Yeah. I think it was I don't remember but yeah. No, and that's just your best guess. Yeah. It was about 5:00. And then from there she went her way. She got in her car and she stayed there but I left. Okay. And then from there I didn't saw her no more. I don't know who she was in the hotel or anything. Okay. So did she ever come back like to the trailer park with you? No. No? Okay. No, I went home. Like I told you she had a stayed in her car I just went to the I went to put gas in the gas station. Yeah. And then I just went home. Okay. And what car did you drive? The white one. And did you do you know what The Dodge Dodge Journey. The Dodge Journey? Yeah. Okay. And is that the car you usually drive? No, I use the the truck. Okay. That's what I always use. The car I use is only for work. The the Journey is for work? Yeah, cuz I have my own tools and all my tools in there and everything. The car is for when I go out we go out. And the car stays there parked. Okay. The truck or the car? The car. The car stays parked in the house and the truck is we go everywhere in Okay. So the truck you guys drive together and then the Dodge is like your work truck? Right? Like your work car? Yes. It's kind of like that. I use it to work, come home, leave it parked there where it is like in front of the trailer. And then we just if we go out to the store or anything or if I go out to the gym or anything I use the car or the truck. Okay. And so why did you choose the Journey that night? I was already in the Journey. Okay. I was already in the Journey car when I met her. Okay. So do you know do you know what happened and like to her like cuz I know you and the reason I asked that is because you talked about the Facebook. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, but know that she disappeared, but other than that I haven't seen anything on Facebook and I was like, "Oh, damn." I was like I was like, "It's hard." Damn. I was like, "But I was like the the time I talked to her that's when I left her and then Yeah. And and was that Was there anything odd about that time that you guys were together that day? Not that I know of. Like Did she tell you anything or I didn't pay attention, to be honest. Okay. Yeah, actually when we met uh me and her was just that Yeah, and then you leave. Okay. and then she leave. So, did you guys have full intercourse or was it just oral or Uh just oral. Okay. All right. And did you use like Did you use protection at all? Mm, no. No, not in that one. Okay. Um and did she Mm. Do you recall? No. No? Okay. All right. And so, was that done in the Journey or your car? In my Journey. In your Journey? Before moving any further, let's put Jose's story into one cohesive timeline. According to him, he decided the perfect time to cheat on his wife with a trans woman he met on Tinder was a Sunday evening in September. When they met up, Sherylin allegedly tried to bring him to a hotel, but Jose felt the situation was shady and left. Angered, Sherylin bombarded Jose with messages threatening to tell his wife if he didn't meet up with her. In response, Jose complied and the two had intercourse. The important thing to note here is Jose's insistence that all of this happened in his car, a Dodge Journey, and not Sherylin's. This, of course, contradicts CCTV footage which captured the two in Sherylin's car. However, cameras captured something far more important that Jose just denied. The two went back to his trailer before Sherylin disappeared. But, why? Fortunately, the detective will force Jose to answer this. You know, one thing I've learned being a cop for, you know, I've I've been a cop a long time. Um there's video surveillance everywhere, right? There there there's cameras everywhere, right? Everybody's got a camera. People have cameras everywhere. Right, so everybody's got camera, right? So, you know, um I've been able to, you know, get quite a quite a bit of uh camera What's the cameras from around there? Um and the one thing is is I think you're being very honest up until meeting with her again. Okay, and here's why. Um because I know you met with her after that first one. I We met in the hotel. That's where I met her. And where I told you. And if you check the surveillances, uh you can see my car right there. I don't believe you're telling me the truth on that one. I I'm not you. I have you on video, man. Like cuz here's the thing, okay? Um it's important because telling the truth is important because I know there's two sides to every story, and you've told me um there's some issues with with her in the past, right? Yeah. And her wanting you to do things that maybe you weren't comfortable with, right? Uh-huh. Um so I understand why people do things, okay? Like there's you know, everybody has a reason for for doing things, right? You know? And I need to know what were you guys doing at the front of the apart- your trailer complex? On the trailer? No, not at the trailer. In the front front of the uh Uh we were just there. Uh that's where we met first. And then we we left to the other one. But I think it's the other way around cuz you went No, yeah, we So, we met where we told you. And then she told me that I needed to give her uh 5K. Why? Cuz of that what happened back then at the time. Really? So, um so in the conversation, uh where did Cuz this is important. I I need to you know like you know She told me if I didn't give her a 5K, uh she was going to tell my wife everything about everything. So, when when we did it, it was in the other one and then when I came back, uh that's where I gave her the money in front of the apartments. So, you you gave her money? I gave her 5K, um And where did you have that 5K? I was hiding it from my wife. Okay. How was it just cash? Well, okay. Was that just Where where did you get that from? Just loans from everybody, just overtime and all that. Just kind of a a slush fund, keep it on the side. Um I didn't want to my wife to find out, so I gave her the money. And then So, once you gave them uh once you gave them the money uh gave her the money, um what happened? Well, that's it. Uh I left from my car. And where did you go after that? I just cruised around. Just cruised around? Uh cuz I haven't paid my rent. So, I just paid it. I was behind 2 months sure because of that. I was uh stressing. I told her, I was like, "Give me more time." She didn't want it to and that's when she met me there and I had to give her the money. Okay. Cuz I was going to pay the rent, but I I didn't pay the rent. So, was this on WhatsApp? Like she they mentioned that to you? Yeah, so This all was on WhatsApp? Uh when I told her that I was going to give her that money, the 5K, I was like I was like, "That's it. I was like, I'm not going to give you no more money." I was like, "You go your way, I go my way." "Uh leave me alone." "I'm going to delete everything." I was like, "I'm going to delete my uh my WhatsApp, photos that we have together." I was like, "Everything." I was like, "Cuz I was like, I can't do this no more. I was like, and you go your way, I go my way, and everybody's happy. Sure. Um so, once you're there, how are you feeling? I was I didn't want to ask. Um but I did it anyways. So, I was just So, did you guys have again at Mhm. in in front of the the 224? Okay. While I might have had the misfortune to hear all about their kinks and shenanigans, I'll spare you from the same experience. Long story short, not only was Jose fulfilling his submissive fantasies, but also going knee-deep in debt to give Sherilyn the $5,000 she was blackmailing out of him. And considering that he was in the country illegally, Jose couldn't exactly discuss his problems with authorities. Where did you go after you were intimate? I I told you I was just driving around. Just driving around. And then when did you come back? I don't know. I have a lot of the rain. I can check the time when I came back. And did you ever go back and take anything from her car at all? No. No? No, I don't know when I came back. Okay. Did you ever drive her car? No. No? You So, your your DNA wouldn't be in her car at all? No. I didn't got in her car. It was everything was in my car. Sure. Okay. I didn't got in her car. I didn't took anything from her car. Nothing. Okay. So, here's the thing, man. Um did something happen between you guys that night? No. Because it's real important for you to tell me because I believe something did. And I believe here's why. Here Here's why, Jose, okay? And I know it's scary. Mhm. Okay? I know it is. Talking to a cop is scary. Mhm. I'm treating you respectfully, okay? been through I've been through it. Yeah, and I really appreciate you. So, I really think something happened. Okay. That you didn't control. Because I'm here, right? You have to ask yourself, I've never met you before. I don't know who you are, right? I've never seen you before in my life. I never even knew you lived in 224 until recently, right? So, you have to ask yourself, like I know a little bit more than than what I'm telling you, right? Um because I found you, right? You know, so obviously I I know some things. So, I need to know what happened after being intimate. Did something happen that that you didn't mean to happen? No, no, nothing happened. I've already told you I've been honest with you. I That's all I That's all I remember. I'm sure. And then she getting in her car and I in my car and then Cuz I know you come back and you get something from her car. I don't know. Mhm. So, and then I see you go to her car and drive away. I don't remember. Cuz it's real important, man. Like you've been doing really good. Yeah, but I don't remember. Cuz here's the thing, like I need to know what that what what happened because you've told me some things that are concerning, right? That that she's making you do stuff. And, you know, if you're trying to cover, you know, the little bit up about what happened because you're afraid, I I understand that, okay? No, no, no. I Like I told you I don't remember what happened next. I got in my car and then that's all I remember. Okay, cuz we have you in her car, okay? Um why would you be in her car? I don't remember. Why would you drive her car? I don't I can't recall driving her car. Cuz it's really important. You've been remembering this whole time and it's just kind of odd that you don't recall that, right? Yeah. So, it's really important to tell me, okay? Just come clean because now's the time. Yeah. Right? Now's the time to just put it all on the table. I'm I've been honest with you. I can tell No, no, I No, and I do. It's just answer all of questions and everything. Sure. And I really appreciate that. I I as a man to man, I really respect that. Okay? Cuz, you know, it's not easy talking about our personal lives to to someone, you know? And so, I I want to thank you for that and appreciate you feeling comfortable enough to talk to me about that. I I do. Um I do really appreciate that. Um but, here's the thing, right? Like, I I see what I see on video, right? Cuz video doesn't lie. Yeah. And I see, you know, what you do, and it's not matching with what you're telling me, right? So, did you take the money back? No. I don't No, I I didn't pay my rent. I had to ask my mother-in-law for money. Sure. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Jose is incredibly nervous, as is evident from the way he ends every sentence on a high pitch. And his nerves are about to get the best of him, as Jose will admit to something that undoubtedly points to him being the killer. Do you have any You know how we use like construct You know how we have like crime scene tape? You know, do you have any type of tape or anything in there? I I didn't tape in the truck. Okay. I haven't I haven't taped in the truck. No, I don't think I don't. I only in the little handle, I had a red tape. A red tape, a little one, like this. I Do you know what type of tape it was? Like the You know the the duct tape, the gray one? Yeah. It was that, but a little red. Just the same one, but a little one, like this. And it was I think I had it. So, when you were open the back truck, there's a little door in the where my my tools are. So, I have some I had it in there. Okay. I don't know if it's there or I gave it away. I can't remember. Okay. So, did it have a name or anything? Do you remember? No, that one didn't have a name. Okay. And is that something you'd use at work? Uh that one, yeah. Yeah. It's It's what we use sometimes to stick stuff together at work. Oh, okay. And the the the Like stick what together? Uh plastic. Okay. So some like some houses in the dirt they put plastic. So we have to put tape on the plastic. Okay. So it doesn't stick together. Perfect. And I think that's it. Oh and a level I think is there for my tools. A saw saw. I think. Okay. So yeah. Yeah yeah that's good. That's that gives me a lot to to to look into. Um so I do appreciate you. Um so I'm going to let's take a break. Um do you need water? Yes. Okay. I'll go get you water cuz I I saw you licking your lips. That's I'll get you some water. I was in the in the uh car in the car. He had the heat and it was like right on my face. So I couldn't see all right. Got you. a little bit but he didn't burn bad. Okay. It isn't the heat making him thirsty. It's the fact that he has just incriminated himself. When Sherilyn was found, her hands, feet, and head were bound in red tape. According to a forensic pathologist, this would have prevented her from breathing and he testified that she died of asphyxiation either by strangulation or suffocation. It just so happens that the only person to own a similar tape among the people Sherilyn knew was Jose and he just admitted it. And by the time the detective returns, Jose will only dig himself into a deeper hole. So just a couple of things uh to to go back to. Uh so you said WhatsApp, right? Yes. Uh do you remember your phone number? You deleted the app? Yeah once once I told her that I give her the money and I didn't want contact with her I deleted the app. And what was on there? Um it's just messages. Just messages? Okay. And you said you deleted pictures? Uh she sent me videos that she took of me without me um So she would every time we had she would like um hide her phone. Yeah. And videos of me and she would like told me that I'm going to send this to your wife if you don't give me that money. And she was sending them to me and I had them, but I deleted everything. I don't want anything Yeah, for sure. So, those wouldn't be on your phone. No, they won't be on my phone. Nothing was on my phone. I have other videos of me and my wife, but that's it. Yeah, I mean that's anything I'm concerned about. Um, okay. And so, did you save any of those messages? Like did you like screenshot them or anything? I think I did, but I think I I deleted everything. Okay. And why why did you delete everything? What was the reason behind everything? Okay. When she found out about everything I didn't want her to know I was doing that, was showing her and giving her money. Okay. And we were struggling. Yeah. So, when you went to that motel, like that you talked about not wanting to go in I didn't go in. I was outside. Do you Would you remember what motel that was? Uh Cuz I can name a couple. There's like Motel 6, like 56. You know how Buffalo Inn is is is is right here, no? Yes. So, the street keep going this way. So, it was a motel that was in here. I think the last one, not the last one, but the second one. Okay. So, it was it was a motel right here. And then a hotel and then the other one. Okay. Yeah. And so, was it So, was it driving towards the mountain or was it going west? Going to like west. Like towards like the general direction of your trailer? Okay. It was Let's say if we go like Where's the mountain? Where are we? So, the mountain is going to be this way. Mountain that was to my home. Is this way. In that direction. So, going that way is going to be the last one. That's the the last not the last one, but the the next next one. Okay. To your left. Okay. And I was in the last one, but when she came out, she was in the other one. Okay. That's when I I drove. So, I I got in the in the last one. I was in the parking lot. And then it wasn't that one, so I drove to the street. And she told me that she wanted me to go in. I told her no. I was like, "I'm not going to go in." And then that's when I I left. And then she we texted again. What did you know her first as? Uh Shirley. Shirley? Yeah, I didn't know her real name. Okay. Did she ever tell you her last name at all? No. I never knew her last name. Did you have her contact saved in your phone? No. No? No. Okay. It was just in the the messages was there. Just in the I even deleted the messages before everything. Okay. I I always deleted them, actually. Always when we finished and I always deleted them. Oh, for sure. And then she would send me again and every time I for the same thing. Yeah. Okay. And you know, obviously, do you know about how long you started seeing her? Like the the length of time? I think it was I think it was It could have already been like 2 years. Okay. So, you've been off and on Yeah, we I know her for like 2 years. Okay. And was it always intimate every time you met? every time. And we didn't meet like a lot. It was like sometimes. Just whenever? Yeah. And every time we meet, it was just that. It was just that and that's it. Okay. And so, over those 2 years I even went to the house that she was staying. Oh, really? Um I think it's her uncle. Oh, okay. I went a couple times and I have Okay. And I mean you you see someone in so long, right? And I and I know that she had talked, you know, about what we talked about her doing to you. Um Did you develop feelings for her? No. No. No? No. No. I I have no feelings or nothing. It was just sexual. Okay. So, you didn't like get any like emotional connection at all? No. No. Nothing. Why do you think that is? I don't know. Um when when we started um talking, it was I told her I was like, "I don't want no no attachments." Keep in mind that throughout their odd relationship, the $5,000 was actually one of the many times Jose had paid her hush money because the real extent of these payments went much much deeper. So, you mentioned $5,000. That's a pretty big amount of money, right? You mean that that's a lot of money to me. Um so, had she tried to get smaller amounts out of you prior to that? Yes. Um I gave her a thousand and then I gave her 700. I even took out a loan for Really? Mhm. That I didn't pay. Uh the loan that I took out was like 2,000 and I never paid it. Okay. And why and why did you do that? What? Why did you pay her that money that time? Cuz that's when um the infection happened when we got a STD and everything. So, um she said it was my fault and I didn't recall it was my fault cuz uh I don't meet just anybody. Sure. So, um I told her it wasn't, but she said it was. So, she had a lot of uh at that time uh she had a lot of evidence of me and her doing stuff. Sure. So, she told me that she was going to send it to my wife and if I would give her the money. Okay. So, I I would tell her she asked me for money and give her money. Okay. And was this all just recently or was this throughout the course of your two year relationship or That was the course of what happened after the Okay. And when was that roughly? Like was that last year or this year? No, that was was I can't remember when it was. Okay. I can't remember when it was that happened. Um But yeah, I even went to the clinic, too. Sure. Get a shot for that. Each time she asked you for money, how did that make you feel? Um it was frustrating because I'm not a I'm not a rich guy. I'm not a rich guy. Yeah. Um I was barely making enough for me, but I I'll give her I'll give her the money anything. And And why do you think And then it was just because um you she you didn't want your wife to find out? Yes. Okay. I didn't want her to find out. And it wasn't because you know, you liked her and you wanted like it okay. Just just just just trying to clarify. Yeah, just uh it was just so my wife didn't find out. Okay. About it. And did you guys ever fight on the phone? Like did you call call each other and ever fight on the phone about it? Uh yes. On that talk, on Messenger. Yeah. We like we like oh, I'm tired of this. Like I call her in Spanish like I'm tired of all this by Spanish. Yeah. Like different words. Okay. And were you on Facebook Messenger when this was going or was it on the WhatsApp? No, it's just on WhatsApp. Just on I never I didn't have to talk to her anything else. Just uh So, it wasn't anywhere outside of just the WhatsApp that you used to talk to. Yeah, mhm. No other ones uh I didn't used to talk to her. She She would used to text me on my phone, but then she switched to a WhatsApp. I don't know why. Okay. Got you. Yeah. Um So, she would make these demands of you, and obviously you have kids and you have a wife. How did that make you feel? I was I'm not an angry guy. Yeah. I'm not I don't get angry. But, it was just frustrating. Yeah. It was uh And I had this this is the last time I told her I was like this is the last time I give you money. I was like if you want to do something about it, then just go for it. I was like I'm not going to You know. put up with this anymore. I was like I'm tired. I was like I've been so uh What is it called? So uh uh stressed. I was like I've been so stressed. I was like That's it. I was like that I'm I'm going to give you the money. I was like I'm going to back out. I was like do whatever you want. Like from there I never talked to her again. Turned out that day. So, it sounds like I mean, you're the victim, too. Like you're a victim here. Like I mean, you know, she's doing She did a lot of things to you. would take videos of me behind my back when I went to like it, and she would send them to me and she'll be like oh I'm going to send this to your wife if you don't give me money. And then I was like I had no choice. Sure. I'm a legal here, so I don't know who to contact or if I get in trouble or anything. No, that's a terrible that's a tough tough spot, you know. Um you can always call us. Now, I want you to know, Jose, I I believe there's two sides to every story. Yeah, there's always two sides. There's always two sides, right? Um and then there's evidence, right? Things that get collected and DNA and you know, all like all that stuff. There's video surveillance, things like that. So that's the you know, that's that's part of my job is trying to collect all this stuff. And I want you to know I firmly believe man from being an investigator for a long time, I know that things can happen that were not meant to happen. I've seen it a lot, okay? It seems like she's been putting massive pressure on you. Yes. I mean I would [ __ ] is putting pressure on me. I'm looking at this and then like It's actually more than that. Really? Yeah. When I gave her the first time that I gave her was a 2,000 you have right here. Okay. And then I gave her 700. And then I gave her another thousand. Jeez. I gave her another thousand. So you're at like $5,000 man, like more on top of the other $5,000. thousand that I gave her and then plus 5,000 and that. I even sent her money recently. It's still in my in my bank account. Oh, okay. I sent her money. That was a thousand, too. Wow. So far, all Jose has done is change his story every time he's been caught lying. But in this last confrontation, the detective has a piece of evidence so important that it will push Jose to spill everything. I want you to help me help you, okay? Because it's very important, right? Yes, sir. I want to help you because I think that there is a lot to go there there's a lot of to unpack here and you know, that that's not good what happened to you. So I need to know what what exactly happened That's all I told that night, okay? Cuz here's the thing, okay? We just searched your house. Okay? What do you think we found there? I don't know. Well, you do know cuz it's your house and you know what you have there. I think underneath the trailer. A tape. Mhm. And you So, tell me about that. Did you mean for it to happen? No. So, explain it to me. Help me understand. Uh I was I was fed up. Absolutely. Like I'm fed up for you, man. Like that pisses me off. Like you've been taken advantage of. So Help me understand your your thinking here. I told her I wanted to stop. I was like I I I wanted this to be over already. I gave her them the 5K. Um that time she wanted more. She wanted more? Are you kidding? How much more did she ask you for? 8,000. On top of the five? Jesus Christ, Jose. Wow. Yeah. Um yeah. My I owe money to other people. Yeah, I mean My cousin Offer this person. My mother-in-law I owe a lot of money to my mother-in-law. My dad he always let me borrow money. Man. Yeah. So, tell me what happened. I had I can't remember, to be honest. I'm going to be honest with you, okay? Was it cuz you were mad? Uh I think I was fed up. Uh but I can't remember. I can't. I'm trying to, I can't. Yeah. I I don't know if I black out. I don't know. I don't know. I can't remember anything. I think just from the gas that I told you. Yeah. That's all I remember. Do you remember where you took her car? No. I can't remember anything. I can't. I don't know. I I never committed a crime. Yeah. Never in my life I I told the officer that was writing me me that was bringing me over here. I was like, I just had speeding tickets. Yeah. That's all I had. Yeah. You're not a bad dude. I don't think you're a bad dude. I never did anything bad to anybody, fights, anything. Nothing. So, let me just ask you this. Did you kill her? No. I I didn't kill her. I I don't know. I I swear to everything I have I didn't kill her. I swear to God. Okay, so I get it. You got to help me. I don't know why. But that's the problem. Like because you have to help me. Like you you've you've come clean. It's got to feel good cuz I know it's been eating you up in here. Right? Cuz you're a good person, Jose. You are. Okay? But you got to help me. I can't remember. I can't remember. I'm trying to remember. look good. Cuz it just doesn't look good. It doesn't It doesn't. So, the only thing I remember we were in the car and that's it. And then me being back in the backseat. That's all I remember. So, what did you do with the tape? I don't know. I saw it when I like I said it's not bad full of blood and just put it in the trash. Yeah, that's it. Okay. And did you put her body in the bag? No, I don't I can't remember. Okay. I've been trying to remember what happened that day. It's been black. Yeah, it's been black. I don't know if it was just the little stress that I was put up with or the divorce that was going on with my wife. Cuz there's reasons for you know, for you feeling that way. Like I want you to I feel for you, man. I do. Like I feel for you. Like that's horrible. Okay? And I want your story out there, right? I want your side because I firmly believe, Jose, that there's two stories. I think my side doesn't matter anymore. Well, it does because it doesn't change So, let me tell you, okay? It doesn't change right now, but it changes the the the future, right? Like it it because if you can remember things and tell me exactly what happened, then I don't have to go off of just what I see, right? Like I I can go off of your emotion and what what you're feeling. Um because, you know, you're looking at like you know, there's different degrees of charges, you know what I'm saying? And so, it's like, do you want like to go away for a long time? Or do you want to just do a little bit because you know, what you're telling me, but I have to know, right? I have to be able to gauge Cuz I I've been trying to remember. I blacked out. Okay, so you said you remember. Let's start with what you remember. Yes. Like I told you, I met her at the hotel. That's where I met her. That's That's the first time. The hotel, then she told me to go in. I was like, "No. I was like, I'm not going to go in." Then, I start I drove off out of the car. I even like spinning the wheels and everything. I took off cuz I was mad. Sure. And then, um I took a course, and then went up Central, and that's when she texted me again. And we met up down where I told you, on 98. Yeah, on 98. And then, we met up again. So, I had to go get the money to give it to her. And then, that's when she told me we were in the car that she wanted more. And I told her I wasn't going to give her no more money. I was like, "I'm tired. I was like, I'm I'm done." And I was like, "I'm done. I was like, I'm not going to give you no money." I was like, "I even I even warned her that if she ever comes to my house, I was like, I was going to call the police." I was like, "Oh, well, I'm going to call the police police who and my lawyer." I was like, "Okay." I was like, "Call it." Yeah. I was like, "Let's get this legal, right?" Absolutely. And she's like, "No, well, I want some money." I was like, "I want the money. I want the money now." She'll be like, "Now. I want it now." I had to borrow money from her anyway. Yeah, anyway. So, you're in you're in the journey, right? Yes, I'm on the way. So, tell me how it happened inside the car. I don't know. We were just having sex. I was cool when we were in front of the building. Mhm. We were just having And then that was the last time I remember. The truth is, Jose didn't black out. He just doesn't want to tell the detective what really happened. However, this kind of bad acting is nothing that a reality check can't fix. See, here's the thing, man. I mean, I I do believe people do black out, but I think you're remembering is you don't want to come fully clean. And here's the thing, okay? You have two kids, all right? You have two kids to think about. I I can't do anything about what brought us here. Okay? The only thing I can do is write why you did what you did. Now, if you're going to a jury and they hear you say, "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know." Well, that doesn't look good. Yes. Okay? But, if you explain to me why you did you you started, but explain why you did what you did. It was just the pressure. And so, I think I snapped. Yeah. I think I think I believe everybody has a limit. Sure. I agree with you 100%. Everybody has a limit where And you've had a rough go of things and then everything that she was putting you through. Yeah. That was That's a lot of money that I gave her. I probably gave her like over like 10. Jeez. 10K? That's a lot of money, man. And I was Other than that, I was struggling to pay rent. Cuz I got relationship issues, you've got kids, you've got a you know, you've got a awesome young little boy that that needs a lot of extra care. Yes. You know, that I can only imagine the pressure you're under, man. Like, I mean, you got big shoulders, but you can only take so much, right? You know? So, I know you know what happened, and I need you to be honest, man, cuz that's the only way forward. So, tell me what happened. I just left. So, okay. So, what did you do? Uh, I think I hit her. Yeah? And that's all I I just remember hitting her. That's all. Okay. And you remember then, so you hit you hit her. Okay. Did you put her in the bag? No. No? No. So, what what's the deal with the bag and the blood? Uh, that was uh, a little bag I had that in my in my uh, car. So, the bag Was that just it was it was just there in the car? Did she she just fall on it? I think so. Okay. And where did you take her after that? Uh, to a ditch. And did you know that place before? No. No? You just Just there. Looking for a place to try to figure it out? Um, I was panic. Sure. I can only imagine, man, like what's going through your head. She was putting too much pressure on me with the Absolutely. She wanted more money. She wanted more and more and more and That's crazy, man. I'm so sorry. She wanted more money. I should have come clean with my wife first. You know, there's a lot of things that I should have done better. I did it. I regret everything that I did. I never committed a crime. I've never been to jail or anything. So, here's the thing, okay? You came clean. That's the first step, okay? The second step is what you just did. You you you talk about it. And then So, what'll happen now? And then okay, so tell me about the tape. What's the deal with the tape? It was just in the car. Why did you have the tape? I don't know. Um, it was just there. Okay. the car. the car. I I didn't buy it cuz of that. I I just brought it. It was just Was it just in the car? Yeah, because of the construction. Sure. And did you um Do you remember where you put the tape? Mhm. On the little trailer? No, like on on on Sherin. On her hands. On her hands? Anywhere else? Face. Okay. And why the face? I don't know. I don't I just You just You had enough. Yeah. Okay. So, here's here's where we're going, okay? Um I have what's called a body warrant. No. Okay, so I'll have to get some DNA from you. It's really simple. Just fingerprints and stuff like that. Um so, I'm I've got a lot to do now, okay? Um Are you hungry? Uh no, I just want to call my cousin. Okay. What time is it? It is 9:40. So, we'll we'll have to deal with that. I will I promise you before we leave. I I'll let you make the worst of it later. So, she's still at the house. Um where all my partners are still searching, but uh she'll be there. And, you know, do you So, here's another thing I was going to ask you as well, one last thing. So, there's a couple things. Uh is your cell phone password protected? Yes. I want to cooperate with you. I I know No, you know what? I want to say No, like that's a man. Like, you know what? Like I have done this a lot, okay? And you're the first person that I've talked to and I've done this a long time, man. Um that's owned up to and was a man about it, okay? Um I know it doesn't change anything. You know, I have nothing against you. It's just my job, right? But I want to say that I do respect you, though, okay? Because you came clean. And I I respect that for whatever it's worth, man. Jose's confessions wouldn't end here. When he ultimately went on to face trial in February 2025, he told jurors that he killed Sherilyn by kneeling on her throat after she allegedly tried to extort money from him and attacked him when they met up on September 17th, 2023. Consequently, Jose was convicted of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence on February 10th, 2025. While his sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled, Jose faces life in prison, potentially serving a minimum of 30 years before being eligible for parole.