FUGITIVE
CASE #: 2008-59
Juan Lazaro-Abrego
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Smyrna, Georgia
Summary:
Juan Lazaro-Abrego remains on Cobb County's Most Wanted list for allegedly strangling Elizabeth Bowie, a beloved Marietta Middle School teacher, to death in July of 2008. Abrego remains at large and could have possibly fled to Mexico in 2008. Investigators believe Abrego fled Cobb County to the Guerrero region of Mexico, evading U.S. Marshals for more than a decade in a cartel-heavy portion of his home country.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Offense:
He is believed to have strangled Bowie to death sometime on Monday, July 28, or Tuesday, July 29, 2008, according to court documents. He was Elizabeth Bowie's boyfriend. The former couple met through one of Elizabeth's students, who sought her help during a family health crisis. Elizabeth went on to donate supplies to the family and sometimes looking after the children. The Cobb County District Attorney's Office described Elizabeth and Abrego's eventual relationship as textbook domestic violence. Becky recalled one time her daughter threw herself from the car, down an embankment on Interstate 75, after Abrego reportedly threatened to kill them both while driving. Police discovered her daughter's body inside a Smyrna apartment.
Additional Details:
He is also charged with concealing a death, with the indictment dating alleged attempts to hinder discovery of Bowie's body and the circumstances surrounding it until about July 31 of that year. Indicted in October 2016 by a Cobb County grand jury, the 40-year-old Abrego faces charges of malice and felony murder and aggravated assault. Detective Mitch Plumb was the lead investigator on the murder case for years. Following her death, Plumb learned of a prior incident where Abrego allegedly tried blowing up Elizabeth's apartment. Becky said her daughter never reported anything to police because Abrego was living illegally in the U.S. -- something that aided in his later disappearance, according to investigators. Cobb County's major crimes unit and the U.S. Marshals are still trying to track down Lazaro-Abrego. Investigators believe Abrego is hiding out in Mexico, where he was a former law enforcement officer. The case against Juan Lazaro-Abrego was featured on Investigation Discovery's "In Pursuit with John Walsh" at 10 p.m. Feb. 27 on a cable show hosted by the man who was the face of the long-running "America's Most Wanted" television series. As of this posting, Lazaro-Abrego is on Cobb County’s most wanted list. Online magistrate court records show that his murder case has no disposition or events since the warrant was issued. This unfortunately confirms that he is still at large.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Case featured on Investigation Discovery's "In Pursuit with John Walsh"
Juan Lazaro-Abrego indicted by Cobb County grand jury on charges of malice and felony murder and aggravated assault
Alleged attempts to conceal death and discovery of Bowie's body
Elizabeth Bowie strangled to death in her Smyrna apartment
Associated Persons
Elizabeth B. (Girlfriend/victim) - Deceased
Hannah B. (Sibling) - Living
Jeff B. (Father) - Living
Becky B. (Mother) - Living
Case Content Disclaimer: The details on this case page are sourced from numerous locations to include family, friends, news postings and government public releases. Solve the Case, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of any content as case pages are living documents that frequently update as case details expand.
