53-year-old man lied for his 50-year-old girlfriend in wait outside her workplace as he believed she was cheating on him, then chased after her before stabbing her to death; arrested
Texas – In a chilling and calculated act of violence, a 53-year-old man, identified as S. Cornejo is facing murder charges after allegedly stalking and fatally stabbing his longtime girlfriend outside her place of work. Cornejo was arrested and charged after the brutal killing of 50-year-old A. Maya, whom he believed was cheating on him.
According to court records, Cornejo waited outside the restaurant, where Maya worked as a dishwasher, shortly before midnight on Saturday. Hidden nearby with a knife tucked in his waistband, he confronted her behind the restaurant. Investigators say that when the argument escalated, Maya tried to run back into the restaurant, but Cornejo chased her inside and stabbed her multiple times, inflicting fatal injuries. When first responders arrived, paramedics pronounced Maya dead at the scene. Her coworkers, devastated and shocked by the violence, told local outlets she had been employed at the restaurant for some time and was well-liked by those around her.
The case quickly took a darker turn when investigators discovered that Cornejo had allegedly installed a tracking device on Maya’s car and placed a listening device in her bedroom, telling detectives that he believed she was being unfaithful. Prosecutors said this behavior shows how premeditated and aggressive the act truly was. Following the stabbing, Cornejo fled the scene but later called authorities and turned himself in. After being read his rights, he confessed to the killing, and authorities were able to recover the bloody knife from a field nearby, captured on surveillance video as he discarded the weapon.
During his first court appearance, prosecutors described the attack as “very aggressive” and “calculated.” A judge agreed with their assessment, originally setting Cornejo’s bond at $350,000 due to the severity of the crime. Although the bond was later reduced to $50,000, jail records show he remains in custody. Authorities also confirmed that Cornejo, a native of El Salvador, is being held under an immigration detainer.
The public defender noted during the hearing that Cornejo had voluntarily turned himself in and cooperated with investigators. However, the prosecution emphasized the intentional planning and disturbing surveillance tactics the suspect used prior to the killing. Cornejo told the court that he had been living in Texas for 17 years. His next court date is set for August 19.
The killing has left the community stunned and mourning the loss of Maya, a woman whose life was suddenly cut short in a place she went to work each day. The case is another tragic reminder of how suspicions and unchecked jealousy can spiral into irreversible violence. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities continue to piece together the timeline and full extent of Cornejo’s surveillance and planning. For now, he remains behind bars, charged with murder, as the justice system begins to weigh the evidence of a deeply disturbing act driven by obsession and rage.
