Couple Charged With Five Alexander County Murders Given Bond On Wednesday

A man and a woman charged with five murders more than five-years ago appeared in Alexander County Court on Wednesday. 36-year old Areli Aguirre-Avilez of Taylorsville and 21-year old Heidi Darlene Wolfe of Wilkesboro were arrested in June of 2019 by the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office. The duo’s council asked Superior Court Judge Joeseph Crosswhite for the charges to be dismissed based on cellphone records that allegedly indicate the accused were elsewhere when the murders were committed.

Wolfe, age 16 at the time told investigators following her arrest that she ran-over the mother of the children and she and Avilez dumped the body in the Catawba River. A few days later, Wolfe recanted statements made to investigators.

The motions to dismiss were denied.

Attorney Robert Campbell representing Avilez and Attorney Joel Harbinson, the council for Wolfe asked the court for bond to be granted. Both suspects have been in custody without bond for almost 2,000 days.

Judge Croswhite granted a $2 million bond for Areli Aguirre-Avilez and a $1 million bond for Heide Darlene Wolfe.

In June of 2019, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office found the bodies of 11-year old Angel Pacheco and his 12-year old sister America Pacheco in their burned home north of Taylorsville. The body of the children’s mother, Maria Calderon was found months later in a burned pickup truck in Virginia. The bodies of Juan Carlos Mendez-Pena and Luis Fernando Sanchez were in the truck as well.

In September of 2020, Avilez and Wolfe were indicted on five counts of murder and arson by an Alexander County Grand Jury. Areli Aguirre-Avilez was also indicted for statutory rape.

Judge Crosswhite encouraged the District Attorney’s Office and the defense to get the case to trial with a target date of Spring, 2025.

Both suspects were returned to the Alexander County Detention Center.