Full Breakdown
Missouri Couple Shot Dead in Guatemala After ICE Detention Leads to Self-Deportation
7/29/2026, 3:48:15 AM
Core Event
Nixon Giovanni Pérez Paz and Glendy Marisol González de la Cruz, a roofing-working couple from Overland, Missouri, were found bound and shot dead in a sugarcane field in southern Guatemala. Their 14-month-old daughter, Giovanni, was discovered crying beside her mother, showed signs of dehydration and was taken to a medical center for treatment. The couple had been reported missing on July 20 after leaving home to register a motorcycle, according to their brother Rolando Pérez Paz.
Background: ICE Detention and Self-Deportation
In April 2025 the pair were stopped by ICE agents near their home; the agents, who arrived in an unmarked vehicle, arrested them without a warrant and detained them for “lacking legal status.” Pérez Paz was later placed in the Phelps County Jail and deported. González de la Cruz remained in Overland, working two manual-labor jobs while caring for three children and pursuing an active asylum case. Facing mounting financial pressure and fear of future detention, she chose to self-deport to Guatemala with her children in early 2026.
Official Responses
An ICE spokesperson confirmed the stop, asserting Pérez Paz was “unlawfully present” and citing prior convictions that could not be verified in Missouri court records. The spokesperson also linked the action to President Trump’s immigration agenda. Overland Police Chief Andy Mackey stated the local police were not involved in the 2025 stop, detention, or deportation. When contacted, Pérez Paz’s traffic attorney David Diamond declined to comment on the killings. Guatemala’s National Civil Police are investigating the murders, including possible motives and responsible parties.
Key Facts
- Victims: Nixon Giovanni Pérez Paz and Glendy Marisol González de la Cruz.
- Children: three daughters, including 14-month-old Giovanni, now in medical care.
- Investigation: Ongoing by Guatemala’s National Civil Police; motive not yet disclosed.
- Community response: A candlelight vigil is planned for early August at Overland City Hall.
