Luz Guitron, 35, with her three children in the background. Camas police say Guitron was found dead Sunday in a home in which there were signs of a struggle. Police are searching for Guitron's boyfriend, 38-year-old Guillermo Juarez, as a suspect in the death. (Courtesy of Guitron family)
Police are continuing their search for a man wanted in the death of a Camas woman as her friends mourn her death and the community rallies to help her children.
A family member arrived at a home in the 2100 block of Northeast Everett Street around 1:30 p.m. Sunday and found the body of Luz Guitron, 35, said Camas Police Department Officer Debra Riedl.
The Camas police identified Guillermo Juarez, 38, as a suspect. Juarez and Guitron have been dating for several years and have a child in common, according to police. The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Wednesday that it ruled Guitron’s cause of death a homicide, and the manner of her death was multiple sharp force injuries.
Acquaintances of Guitron said the mother of three — two boys and a teenage daughter — was loving and hardworking.
Guitron prepared cold dishes in the kitchen at Moda Center, said former co-worker Nicole Wells. The two worked together during the previous basketball season, and Wells said Guitron seemed appreciative of the job and fit in well as a team player.
“She was an exceptional cook,” Wells said.
According to the co-worker and a story previously published in The Columbian, Guitron owned and operated a food stand at the Vancouver Farmers Market where she sold fish tacos inspired by her upbringing in Mexico. She was also known for selling Mexican dishes and elephant ears at festivals in Camas.
Guitron was close with her family, Wells said. She and her daughter were each other’s best friends, said Kellian Whidden, who coaches Guitron’s daughter on the Camas High School Equestrian Team.
“(Guitron) was always willing to help and wanted to be involved,” Whidden said.
The equestrian team has stepped up to support their teammate, Whidden said. The coach set up a GoFundMe donation page to support the family.
“The Guitron family didn’t have much but they were always willing to help anyone in need,” the page says.
The Camas Police Department said there is no additional information to release about the death investigation.
Juarez has an active arrest warrant from 2013 in Multnomah County Circuit Court for second-degree domestic violence assault, fourth-degree domestic violence assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment, according to an online records search. Luz E. Guitron is the named victim in that case.
The name on the arrest warrant is Jose M. Fernandez, but the name Guillermo Juarez is listed as an alias, the records search shows.
Reporter Jessica Prokop contributed to this story.
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