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Murder Of Denver Mother Prompts Nationwide Manhunt

DENVER (CBS4) - A nationwide manhunt is on after Denver police released the identity of a suspect wanted in connection with a woman found murdered in her home on Saturday.

Sonny Jackson with Denver police said officers responded to a call of an unconscious woman in the 300 block of South Bryant Street at 7:36 a.m.

"When police arrived on scene they found an unresponsive female inside the residence," Jackson said in a statement. "She appeared to have to wounds to her body. She was pronounced dead at the scene."

The woman has been identified as Berta Rios-Lopez, 43, a mother of two. She was found stabbed multiple times in her small one-story apartment where she lived with her children.

Jackson said an arrest warrant has been issued for Pedro Rios-Lopez, 43, for investigation of first-degree murder. He was last seen driving a maroon 2003 Kia Spectra with tinted windows. He has family and close associates in the Denver metro area as well as in the state of Texas.

Kia Spectra
A Kia Spectra similar to what Pedro Rios-Lopez was driving (credit: Denver Police Department)

Neighbors believe it was one of Berta Rios-Lopez's children that found her after returning home from an overnight stay with friends. They heard a child screaming before police arrived.

Anyone with information is asked to call Denver police at (720) 913-2000. Remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-STOP (7867). Text to CRIMES (274637) then title DMCS and enter the message or send an e-mail to metro-denvercrimestoppers.com.

Mother Murdered Map
(credit: CBS)
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