Officials: Missing Austin Mother Was Found Strangled To Death In Trunk Of Car, Kidnapping Suspect In Custody
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The search for a missing Austin mother ended after officials confirmed her body was found at a Houston-area home last Thursday and one person is currently in custody in connection to her death.
Officials said Heidi Broussard, 33, was found strangled to death in the trunk of a car after she and her infant daughter were last seen Dec. 12 in Austin. The mother was last seen dropping off her 6-year-old son at an elementary school.
A baby believed to be Broussard's was found alive and well at the home in northwest Harris County but police have not confirmed her identity pending a DNA test. She remains with Child Protective Services.
Magen Fieramusca, 33, was taken into custody after the body was found and was later transferred to Travis County late Friday evening. She's currently being held on two charges of kidnapping and a charge of tampering with a body. Her bond is set at $600,000.
Sources told KTRK the two women were old friends and that surveillance video at the Austin mother's apartment complex showed her getting into Fieramusca's vehicle willingly on Dec. 12.
Austin police said they believe more charges will be filed as the investigation continues. A motive for the kidnapping is still unclear.
The director for Equusearch told KEYE that he was shocked about how "sincere" Fieramusca sounded when she talked to him about Broussard during the search.
"I was just scratching my head trying to figure out how in the world this person could sound so convincing and now being held on kidnapping and (tampering) with corpse charges. I don't know, I'm still in shock," Tim Miller said.