The bodies of 25-year-old Doris Aguilar and her 51-year-old stalker, Juan Cuellar, were discovered on July 7 in a rented sedan parked outside a gym near Phoenix. Authorities confirmed the incident as a murder-suicide, with Cuellar shooting Aguilar before turning the gun on himself.
Aguilar, a dedicated fitness enthusiast, had been missing since July 1. Her family and friends had grown increasingly worried as she had expressed fear of Cuellar, a man who had relentlessly stalked her for over a year. The discovery of their bodies marked the end of a harrowing period for Aguilar, who had tried in vain to escape Cuellar’s obsessive behavior.
Aguilar’s ordeal began when Cuellar, a coworker at her former job, started stalking her after losing his position about a year ago. Cuellar’s harassment included threatening messages and unannounced appearances at her gym, forcing Aguilar to change gyms multiple times in an effort to avoid him.
Despite her attempts to evade Cuellar, his fixation persisted. Private investigator Steve Fischer, hired by Aguilar’s family, revealed that Cuellar created a fake Facebook account under the name “Johnny Dallas” to continue monitoring and contacting Aguilar. Just days before her disappearance, Cuellar posted a chilling message on Facebook: “Getting my Lifetime [gym] membership back. See you soon.”
On July 1, Aguilar was reported missing by her family. Her unlocked car was found outside the Christown Shopping Center with her belongings still inside, ruling out robbery as a motive. Surveillance footage from that evening showed a rental car, later identified as the vehicle where their bodies were found, pulling up to her.
For several days, Aguilar’s phone showed no activity until it briefly pinged in Peoria on July 2. The tragic discovery came on July 7, when police found Aguilar and Cuellar’s decomposing bodies in a rental car outside a steakhouse near her former gym.
Private investigator Fischer and Phoenix Police are piecing together the details of the crime. Fischer suspects that Cuellar lured Aguilar into the rental car as part of a scheme and later moved her body, as there was no biological evidence suggesting she was shot in the vehicle. A suicide note left by Cuellar attempted to frame Aguilar’s death as self-inflicted.
Phoenix Police Sgt. Rob Scherer stated that surveillance video and other evidence are being reviewed to clarify the timeline and circumstances of Aguilar’s murder. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has not yet disclosed the official cause of Aguilar’s death.
Aguilar’s family, many of whom reside in Honduras, are devastated by the loss of a vibrant young woman described as a “bright light” in their lives. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help with funeral expenses, highlighting Aguilar’s dedication to fitness and the deep impact she had on those around her.
Private investigator Fischer criticized the police for not being more transparent with Aguilar’s family during the investigation. He believes that more timely communication could have spared them additional anguish and unnecessary expenses.
