Topline: Police say the suspect used a hidden tracker and bedroom listening device to monitor the victim before confronting and fatally stabbing her.
Published: June 19, 2025 9:00 am ET
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Santos Hernandez Cornejo (via Houston Police)
HOUSTON, TX — A Houston man is facing a murder charge after police say he stalked, tracked, and ultimately stabbed a woman to death inside a restaurant where she worked.
According to the Houston Police Department, Santos Hernandez Cornejo, 53, was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 50-year-old Argelia Diaz Maya early Saturday morning.
The attack occurred just after midnight on June 14 at the Burnin’ Shell restaurant on Wilcrest Drive, in Houston, Texas.
Officers arrived at the scene around 12:10 a.m. to find Maya suffering from multiple stab wounds inside the business, according to police.
She was pronounced dead at the scene by responding paramedics from the Houston Fire Department.
Investigators with HPD’s Homicide Division said Hernandez Cornejo, who had been in a relationship with Maya, confronted her in the restaurant’s parking lot following an argument. She tried to escape by running into the building, but police say he chased her inside and stabbed her multiple times before fleeing on foot.
Court documents obtained by KTRK-TV allege Hernandez Cornejo had been obsessively monitoring Maya in the days leading up to the attack. He reportedly admitted to investigators that he believed she was cheating on him and had installed both a tracking device on her vehicle and a listening device in her bedroom.
Describing the killing as both “very aggressive” and “calculated,” court officials said Hernandez Cornejo later called police to turn himself in. According to court records cited by KTRK, the murder weapon—a bloody knife—was recovered in a nearby field.
During his initial court appearance, Hernandez Cornejo’s public defender emphasized his cooperation with police and voluntary surrender. However, the prosecutor requested a $300,000 bond, arguing the premeditated nature of the crime warranted higher bail. A judge ultimately set bond at $350,000.
Hernandez Cornejo, a Salvadoran national who told the court he has lived in Houston for 17 years, is currently being held at the Harris County Jail under an immigration detainer, according to court records.
A coworker told KTRK the victim worked as a dishwasher at the restaurant where she was killed.
The case remains under investigation.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Published: June 19, 2025 9:00 am ET
Santos Hernandez Cornejo (via Houston Police)
HOUSTON, TX — A Houston man is facing a murder charge after police say he stalked, tracked, and ultimately stabbed a woman to death inside a restaurant where she worked.
According to the Houston Police Department, Santos Hernandez Cornejo, 53, was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 50-year-old Argelia Diaz Maya early Saturday morning.
The attack occurred just after midnight on June 14 at the Burnin’ Shell restaurant on Wilcrest Drive, in Houston, Texas.
Officers arrived at the scene around 12:10 a.m. to find Maya suffering from multiple stab wounds inside the business, according to police.
She was pronounced dead at the scene by responding paramedics from the Houston Fire Department.
Investigators with HPD’s Homicide Division said Hernandez Cornejo, who had been in a relationship with Maya, confronted her in the restaurant’s parking lot following an argument. She tried to escape by running into the building, but police say he chased her inside and stabbed her multiple times before fleeing on foot.
Court documents obtained by KTRK-TV allege Hernandez Cornejo had been obsessively monitoring Maya in the days leading up to the attack. He reportedly admitted to investigators that he believed she was cheating on him and had installed both a tracking device on her vehicle and a listening device in her bedroom.
Describing the killing as both “very aggressive” and “calculated,” court officials said Hernandez Cornejo later called police to turn himself in. According to court records cited by KTRK, the murder weapon—a bloody knife—was recovered in a nearby field.
During his initial court appearance, Hernandez Cornejo’s public defender emphasized his cooperation with police and voluntary surrender. However, the prosecutor requested a $300,000 bond, arguing the premeditated nature of the crime warranted higher bail. A judge ultimately set bond at $350,000.
Hernandez Cornejo, a Salvadoran national who told the court he has lived in Houston for 17 years, is currently being held at the Harris County Jail under an immigration detainer, according to court records.
A coworker told KTRK the victim worked as a dishwasher at the restaurant where she was killed.
The case remains under investigation.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Restaurant Worker Killed by Boyfriend Who Thought She Was Cheating
Police say the suspect used a hidden tracker and bedroom listening device to monitor the victim before confronting and fatally stabbing her.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 19, 2025 9:00 am ET
Santos Hernandez Cornejo (via Houston Police)
HOUSTON, TX — A Houston man is facing a murder charge after police say he stalked, tracked, and ultimately stabbed a woman to death inside a restaurant where she worked.
According to the Houston Police Department, Santos Hernandez Cornejo, 53, was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 50-year-old Argelia Diaz Maya early Saturday morning.
The attack occurred just after midnight on June 14 at the Burnin’ Shell restaurant on Wilcrest Drive, in Houston, Texas.
Officers arrived at the scene around 12:10 a.m. to find Maya suffering from multiple stab wounds inside the business, according to police.
She was pronounced dead at the scene by responding paramedics from the Houston Fire Department.
Investigators with HPD’s Homicide Division said Hernandez Cornejo, who had been in a relationship with Maya, confronted her in the restaurant’s parking lot following an argument. She tried to escape by running into the building, but police say he chased her inside and stabbed her multiple times before fleeing on foot.
Court documents obtained by KTRK-TV allege Hernandez Cornejo had been obsessively monitoring Maya in the days leading up to the attack. He reportedly admitted to investigators that he believed she was cheating on him and had installed both a tracking device on her vehicle and a listening device in her bedroom.
Describing the killing as both “very aggressive” and “calculated,” court officials said Hernandez Cornejo later called police to turn himself in. According to court records cited by KTRK, the murder weapon—a bloody knife—was recovered in a nearby field.
During his initial court appearance, Hernandez Cornejo’s public defender emphasized his cooperation with police and voluntary surrender. However, the prosecutor requested a $300,000 bond, arguing the premeditated nature of the crime warranted higher bail. A judge ultimately set bond at $350,000.
Hernandez Cornejo, a Salvadoran national who told the court he has lived in Houston for 17 years, is currently being held at the Harris County Jail under an immigration detainer, according to court records.
A coworker told KTRK the victim worked as a dishwasher at the restaurant where she was killed.
The case remains under investigation.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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