The Eyrie

DENTON, TX — The children of a missing Denton mother are holding onto a new clue in a case police say involves murder: the recovery of her wallet along Highway 380. Marjulin Briceño Arrieta, 42, was last seen on Sept. 28 after meeting her estranged husband, Richard Pastor Perez, at his Denton apartment. Her family later reported her missing.

Investigators believe Perez killed Briceño Arrieta, but police have not found her body or located him. Family members and volunteers say the wallet discovery may help narrow the search, while law enforcement continues to treat Perez as wanted for murder. The case has drawn in both Denton police and the FBI as the search crosses county and state lines.

Police pieced together a trail from Denton to New Mexico

According to investigators, Briceño Arrieta had gone to Perez’s apartment to meet with him and try to sell her vehicle. After she disappeared, police found her car abandoned near his apartment. They also discovered that the license plates on their vehicles had been switched, a detail that raised concern early in the investigation.

A Flock camera later tracked Perez’s SUV through West Texas and into New Mexico in late September. Police say Perez was seen abandoning that vehicle at an Albuquerque motel on Sept. 30. That sequence helped investigators build a timeline, even though they still have not found Briceño Arrieta or Perez.

Private searchers found the wallet and turned it over to police

Over the weekend, a private investigator and volunteers searching along Highway 380 found Briceño Arrieta’s wallet. Alfonso Solis, the private investigator working with the family, said the items were handed over to law enforcement after they were discovered.

Solis also said the group found what he described as “a piece of her” and something else that belonged to Briceño Arrieta, though he did not specify what those items were. Denton police said they had no new update at the time, leaving the search open and the meaning of the discovery unclear.

For the family, the wallet is more than a personal item. It is a sign they hope can lead investigators closer to answers about what happened after Briceño Arrieta disappeared.

Children are trying to understand what happened to their mother

Family members and advocates say Briceño Arrieta’s children are struggling with the emotional fallout. A family advocate told FOX 4 that her 9-year-old son learned from classmates that police believe his mother was killed, leaving his 18-year-old sister to explain the situation to him.

Denisse Carrera, who knows Briceño Arrieta through church, said the children were alone in their apartment for five days before she stepped in to help. Carrera also said the children tried to report their mother missing the same day as the meeting with Perez, but police told them to wait 24 hours before making a report.

Carrera said the children had already lived through a painful domestic violence situation and were relieved after their mother separated from her ex-husband. She described them as hopeful that life was finally getting calmer and more stable.

Friends say the family had finally found a sense of peace

Carrera said Briceño Arrieta’s children had seen their mother go through a difficult breakup and wanted a safer home life. In her telling, the family had reached a rare moment of relief after a long stretch of fear and uncertainty.

She said Sunday, the day the wallet was found, was especially emotional for the children, who are still waiting for word about their mother’s whereabouts. Carrera said she hopes the latest discovery will encourage more people to keep searching and sharing information.

The family continues to focus on finding Briceño Arrieta while detectives pursue Perez and try to determine what happened after the last known meeting between the pair.

Authorities still want tips as reward money remains available

Denton police and the FBI are still looking for Perez. Denton County Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,000 cash reward for information that leads to his arrest, and anonymous tips can be submitted by phone or online.

Investigators have not publicly said whether the wallet discovery changes the scope of the search, but the item gives the case a fresh lead as the effort continues. For Briceño Arrieta’s children, relatives, and supporters, the hope is that any new evidence can help bring both answers and accountability.

Tipsters can call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477) or visit dentoncountycrimestoppers.com.