Arkansas Woman Arrested in Texas for Murder in North Carolina

RALEIGH—United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that on April 21, 2010, a Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment charging JENNIFER ARENIVAR, 26, of Texarkana, Arkansas, with murder within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1111. ARENIVAR was arrested in Texas and, on April 26, 2010, was present for an initial appearance in the Eastern District of Texas. The Indictment was unsealed on April 27, 2010.

The Indictment alleges that on August 5, 2007, ARENIVAR murdered Joshua Xavier Arenivar by inflicting blunt force trauma in the commission or attempted commission of child abuse.

A conviction under Section 1111 can carry either a penalty of death or a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. At the appropriate time, pursuant to the procedures of the United States Department of Justice, the Government will notify the Court and the defendant whether it will seek the death penalty or a sentence of incarceration.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Fort Bragg U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Watford-McKinney and Special Assistant United States Attorney (Captain) Alexander Schneider represented the government.