Ex-boyfriend of woman found discarded in Tooele County charged with aggravated murder

MIDVALE — A man who police say had a toxic relationship with a woman that included a history of domestic violence was charged Tuesday with killing her and dumping her body in a remote area of Tooele County.

Nestor Oved Rocha-Aguayo, 24, is charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; three counts of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and abuse or desecration of a dead body, a third-degree felony.

Police say Rocha-Aguayo was living in West Valley City when he was deported on Dec. 24. He returned to Utah less than a week later.

He is accused of killing 31-year-old Talia Benward on Jan. 1. On that day, Benward borrowed her ex-boyfriend’s car to go to work, but she was not heard from again, according to charging documents.

Unified police began investigating on Jan. 2 when Benward was reported missing. Detectives learned that Rocha-Aguayo had returned from being deported and that he and Benward’s relationship “was very toxic, and they fought a lot. (A friend) described Rocha-Aguayo as jealous and he didn’t like (Benward) talking to other men,” the charges state.

“As the investigation developed and evidence was gathered, it became evident Talia Benward was either being held against her will by a violent ex-boyfriend or was deceased,” Unified police said.

The missing car was found in the Kearns area.

“Detectives observed that the rear passenger seat, floorboard, and door had a reddish-brown substance consistent with blood,” the charges state, while also noting blood was found in multiple areas inside and outside of the vehicle and the trunk of the car smelled like gasoline.

Using cellphone data and surveillance video, police learned that Rocha-Aguayo and Benward met up at a gas station at 9000 South and 5600 West on Jan. 1 and sat in a car for more than 40 minutes. Investigators say it appeared in a surveillance video that the two were arguing during his time.

The couple was then tracked to Magna Regional Park where police believe they spent another 40 minutes before going to Tooele County where phone data shows Rocha-Aguayo stayed for nearly 30 minutes before leaving, charging documents state.

Using cadaver dogs in an undisclosed area just off I-80 in Tooele County, “a burn pit was located that had remnants of a mat that matched the one missing from the Volkswagen Jetta. A cadaver dog was called out and located the body of (Benward) covered with what appeared to be a large pile of sagebrush and strategically stacked sticks. There was a blood splotch next to the sagebrush pile,” according to the charges.

“Once uncovered, (Benward) had substantial trauma to her face, neck, and body. (She) had scratches and bruises throughout the top portion of her arms and chest, which appeared to be defensive wounds. (Benward) had marks that indicated that she had been dragged and other injuries that appeared to have occurred after she was already deceased,” the charges say.

An autopsy determined that Benward was killed “by a mix of asphyxiation and blunt force trauma.”

Police actually spotted Rocha-Aguayo on Jan. 4 and tried to arrest him “using a Taser deployment, but Nestor was able to flee custody,” a police booking affidavit states.

Unified police detectives and the U.S. Marshal’s Service then learned on Jan. 5 that Rocha-Aguayo was on a bus headed to Mexico. Police tracked the bus and watched as he got off during a pit stop in Fillmore. As officers closed in, he tried to run but this time was taken into custody.

After his arrest, police searched Rocha-Aguayo’s cellphone and Facebook account and discovered pictures of Benward’s body, charging documents state.