Twenty-One-Year-Old Charged with Second-Degree Murder

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – September 10, 2023 – The Major Crimes Division of the Montgomery County Department of Police has arrested and charged Jennifer Abigail Espinoza Orellana, 21, of Gaithersburg, with the murder of 20-year-old Jose Manuel Zavala Marquez.

On September 10, 2023, at roughly 5:51 a.m., officers from the 1st District were called to the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, located at the 9900 block of Medical Center Drive in Rockville, following reports of a male individual with bodily trauma being dropped off at the facility.

Initial investigations revealed that Espinoza Orellana and her boyfriend, Zavala Marquez, had a heated argument at her residence situated on the 8000 block of Shady Spring Drive in Gaithersburg. The altercation allegedly progressed to Espinoza Orellana stabbing Zavala Marquez in the chest. Following the incident, she transported him to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Authorities executed a search and seizure warrant at Espinoza Orellana’s residence, uncovering items of potential evidentiary significance. Following the search, she was detained and subsequently charged with second-degree murder at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. Currently, she is being held without bond.

The body of Zavala Marquez has been moved to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner situated in Baltimore for an autopsy to officially ascertain the cause and manner of his death. The investigation continues.