Nashville, TN – A Dallas man has been charged in connection with the mysterious death of a man whose body was found in a Nashville wrecker yard last December.
According to the Davidson County Grand Jury, Jose Pablo Zavala, 38, faces first-degree murder charges for allegedly killing Orlando Hernandez, 58. Zavala was taken into custody in Dallas on Friday night. Rosa Carol Torres, 31, was also indicted for evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse. Torres is currently in custody in Wilson County.
Hernandez’s body was discovered on December 27 by an employee at a South Nashville wrecker service. The body was concealed in the rear seat of Hernandez’s Chevrolet Blazer, which had been towed from 52 Tusculum Road on December 15 after being reported abandoned by the landlord.
The months-long investigation led by Detective Kyle Eicholtz revealed that Zavala allegedly killed Hernandez in a residence on N. Natchez Court as part of a drug-motivated crime. The body was then hidden in the SUV, with Torres allegedly assisting in its disposal.
Zavala is expected to be extradited to Nashville from Texas soon. The investigation highlights the collaborative efforts between multiple law enforcement agencies to solve this case.
