Topline: The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
Published: March 8, 2025 7:00 am ET
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Christopher Lee Maldonado (via Galveston County Consortium)
GALVESTON, TX – A Texas man was sentenced to probation for his role in concealing a dead body in the trunk of a car.
On Tuesday afternoon, a jury sentenced 49-year-old Christopher Lee Maldonado to probation for concealing the body of Angela Mitchell in the trunk of her car, according to a news release issued by the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say Mitchell’s decomposing body was found in the trunk of her own car in Texas City in 2022. When Mitchell failed to pick up her infant son, friends began to worry. Mitchell’s cousin used the Find My Friends app to track Mitchell’s iPhone to its last known ping, which was near Maldonado’s home.
Mitchell’s mother reported Mitchell missing to the Dickinson Police Department on May 6. On May 11, Texas City Police Detective Larry Williamson located Mitchell’s car on 4th Avenue in Texas City.
Flies and the odor of death came from the trunk. Texas City Fire Department personnel and TCPD homicide Detective Ralph Cardona opened the trunk, finding Mitchell’s decomposing body. Texas City police determined that Mitchell was a sex worker whose last known job was at Maldonado’s house in Lago Mar on May 5, 2022.
The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
Mitchell’s cause of death remains undetermined.
Maldonado was indicted for tampering with a corpse, a second degree felony.
Trial began February 26, 2025. Chief Assistant District Attorney Casey Kirst and Assistant District Attorney Nathan Farmer showed the jury evidence of Mitchell’s last known location at Maldonado’s house, evidence from Maldonado’s cell phone showing his last contact with Mitchell on May 5, and screenshots on Maldonado’s phone of the missing person posters circulated by Mitchell’s family.
Mike Medina, an acquaintance of Maldonado’s, testified that on the night Mitchell went missing, Maldonado contacted him and paid him $200 to move the car that Mitchell was later found in. Medina testified he did not know at the time there was a corpse in the car’s trunk. Medina enlisted the help of two teenagers.
One of the teens testified that she was asked by a friend to help make some quick cash by moving the vehicle, and that she discovered the body in the trunk. Cell phone evidence corroborated Medina’s testimony.
Kirst argued to the jury that Maldonado’s actions robbed Mitchell’s family of the chance to know how she died.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty Monday.
In the punishment phase, the State called Maldonado’s ex-wife who testified that Maldonado was manipulative and controlling and had strangled her. Maldonado has a pending felony charge for strangulation assault for that incident.
The jury returned a verdict of five years in prison but ordered the sentence probated, as well as a $10,000.00 fine.
Judge Jeth Jones set Maldonado’s probation term for ten years, and ordered Maldonado to serve 120 days in jail as a condition of probation.
Court records show Maldonado is estimated to be released from jail on June 30, 2025.
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.
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Texas Man Gets Probation for Hiding Dead Body in Trunk of Car, Role in Death of Sex Worker
The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 8, 2025 7:00 am ET
Christopher Lee Maldonado (via Galveston County Consortium)
GALVESTON, TX – A Texas man was sentenced to probation for his role in concealing a dead body in the trunk of a car.
On Tuesday afternoon, a jury sentenced 49-year-old Christopher Lee Maldonado to probation for concealing the body of Angela Mitchell in the trunk of her car, according to a news release issued by the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say Mitchell’s decomposing body was found in the trunk of her own car in Texas City in 2022. When Mitchell failed to pick up her infant son, friends began to worry. Mitchell’s cousin used the Find My Friends app to track Mitchell’s iPhone to its last known ping, which was near Maldonado’s home.
Mitchell’s mother reported Mitchell missing to the Dickinson Police Department on May 6. On May 11, Texas City Police Detective Larry Williamson located Mitchell’s car on 4th Avenue in Texas City.
Flies and the odor of death came from the trunk. Texas City Fire Department personnel and TCPD homicide Detective Ralph Cardona opened the trunk, finding Mitchell’s decomposing body. Texas City police determined that Mitchell was a sex worker whose last known job was at Maldonado’s house in Lago Mar on May 5, 2022.
The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
Mitchell’s cause of death remains undetermined.
Maldonado was indicted for tampering with a corpse, a second degree felony.
Trial began February 26, 2025. Chief Assistant District Attorney Casey Kirst and Assistant District Attorney Nathan Farmer showed the jury evidence of Mitchell’s last known location at Maldonado’s house, evidence from Maldonado’s cell phone showing his last contact with Mitchell on May 5, and screenshots on Maldonado’s phone of the missing person posters circulated by Mitchell’s family.
Mike Medina, an acquaintance of Maldonado’s, testified that on the night Mitchell went missing, Maldonado contacted him and paid him $200 to move the car that Mitchell was later found in. Medina testified he did not know at the time there was a corpse in the car’s trunk. Medina enlisted the help of two teenagers.
One of the teens testified that she was asked by a friend to help make some quick cash by moving the vehicle, and that she discovered the body in the trunk. Cell phone evidence corroborated Medina’s testimony.
Kirst argued to the jury that Maldonado’s actions robbed Mitchell’s family of the chance to know how she died.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty Monday.
In the punishment phase, the State called Maldonado’s ex-wife who testified that Maldonado was manipulative and controlling and had strangled her. Maldonado has a pending felony charge for strangulation assault for that incident.
The jury returned a verdict of five years in prison but ordered the sentence probated, as well as a $10,000.00 fine.
Judge Jeth Jones set Maldonado’s probation term for ten years, and ordered Maldonado to serve 120 days in jail as a condition of probation.
Court records show Maldonado is estimated to be released from jail on June 30, 2025.
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.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Texas Man Gets Probation for Hiding Dead Body in Trunk of Car, Role in Death of Sex Worker
The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 8, 2025 7:00 am ET
Christopher Lee Maldonado (via Galveston County Consortium)
GALVESTON, TX – A Texas man was sentenced to probation for his role in concealing a dead body in the trunk of a car.
On Tuesday afternoon, a jury sentenced 49-year-old Christopher Lee Maldonado to probation for concealing the body of Angela Mitchell in the trunk of her car, according to a news release issued by the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say Mitchell’s decomposing body was found in the trunk of her own car in Texas City in 2022. When Mitchell failed to pick up her infant son, friends began to worry. Mitchell’s cousin used the Find My Friends app to track Mitchell’s iPhone to its last known ping, which was near Maldonado’s home.
Mitchell’s mother reported Mitchell missing to the Dickinson Police Department on May 6. On May 11, Texas City Police Detective Larry Williamson located Mitchell’s car on 4th Avenue in Texas City.
Flies and the odor of death came from the trunk. Texas City Fire Department personnel and TCPD homicide Detective Ralph Cardona opened the trunk, finding Mitchell’s decomposing body. Texas City police determined that Mitchell was a sex worker whose last known job was at Maldonado’s house in Lago Mar on May 5, 2022.
The Medical Examiner was unable to determine a cause of death due to the state of decomposition, but ruled out an overdose and death from natural causes.
Mitchell’s cause of death remains undetermined.
Maldonado was indicted for tampering with a corpse, a second degree felony.
Trial began February 26, 2025. Chief Assistant District Attorney Casey Kirst and Assistant District Attorney Nathan Farmer showed the jury evidence of Mitchell’s last known location at Maldonado’s house, evidence from Maldonado’s cell phone showing his last contact with Mitchell on May 5, and screenshots on Maldonado’s phone of the missing person posters circulated by Mitchell’s family.
Mike Medina, an acquaintance of Maldonado’s, testified that on the night Mitchell went missing, Maldonado contacted him and paid him $200 to move the car that Mitchell was later found in. Medina testified he did not know at the time there was a corpse in the car’s trunk. Medina enlisted the help of two teenagers.
One of the teens testified that she was asked by a friend to help make some quick cash by moving the vehicle, and that she discovered the body in the trunk. Cell phone evidence corroborated Medina’s testimony.
Kirst argued to the jury that Maldonado’s actions robbed Mitchell’s family of the chance to know how she died.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty Monday.
In the punishment phase, the State called Maldonado’s ex-wife who testified that Maldonado was manipulative and controlling and had strangled her. Maldonado has a pending felony charge for strangulation assault for that incident.
The jury returned a verdict of five years in prison but ordered the sentence probated, as well as a $10,000.00 fine.
Judge Jeth Jones set Maldonado’s probation term for ten years, and ordered Maldonado to serve 120 days in jail as a condition of probation.
Court records show Maldonado is estimated to be released from jail on June 30, 2025.
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.
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