ROCKVILLE, MD – A story of obsession, betrayal, and a final, brutal act reached its courtroom climax this week as a Rockville man received a decades-long prison sentence for the killing of his ex-girlfriend, whose body was found tossed beneath a highway overpass, hidden in trash bags.
Francisco Lara-Garcia, 33, a resident of the quiet Maryland suburb, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for ending the life of 20-year-old Keylin Chavez Dominguez and then casting her remains off a bridge late last December. Afterward, investigators say, he attempted to cover his tracks by fleeing the state and trying to mislead authorities and family members about her fate.
Chavez Dominguez and Lara-Garcia began their relationship in Honduras before moving together to Rockville, where they shared an apartment even after their romance had soured. Tension mounted in the months leading up to her death, especially after Chavez Dominguez began seeing someone new in August 2022. Jealousy simmered within the cramped confines of their shared home.
On December 30, 2022, Chavez Dominguez sent what would be her final message to her new boyfriend. When she vanished without explanation, those closest to her sounded the alarm. Her boyfriend reached out to Lara-Garcia, who denied any knowledge of her whereabouts.
Under pressure from Chavez Dominguez’s distraught family, Lara-Garcia reported her as missing to police days later, but detectives quickly noticed discrepancies in his account. Their suspicions grew as inconsistencies surfaced, raising the specter of foul play even as hope dwindled.
Nearly a month after she disappeared, the grim discovery was made. A man walking his dog beneath the Intercounty Connector stumbled upon a haunting scene—a young woman’s body, wrapped in trash bags and abandoned amid the winter cold. Subsequent examination confirmed the worst: Chavez Dominguez had suffered a violent death, her life taken by strangulation and repeated blows.
Piecing together the events that unfolded on the night of her murder, investigators learned that Lara-Garcia struck Chavez Dominguez during a heated argument over music at their apartment. Overwhelmed by rage, he continued the assault, ultimately strangling her. He then took deliberate steps to conceal his crime, placing her body in trash bags before disposing of her remains under the cover of darkness.
Rather than face the consequences, Lara-Garcia fled Maryland. By the end of January, authorities discovered he had attempted to escape further—tracking him down in Missouri, where federal marshals apprehended him.
During a subsequent interview, Lara-Garcia admitted to killing Chavez Dominguez. Detectives revealed that he provided details matching the evidence found at the scene and described his actions in the aftermath. After disposing of her body, Lara-Garcia drove to Philadelphia to ring in the New Year as if nothing had happened.
The legal proceedings concluded with a life sentence handed down for Lara-Garcia, though all but 40 years were suspended. The sentence ensures that he will face the consequences of his actions for decades to come.
Prosecutors underscored the pain endured by Chavez Dominguez’s family, who spent nearly a month clinging to hope and calling for answers. Law enforcement agencies continued to express determination in ensuring justice was served, thanking all involved for their efforts in bringing resolution to a case marked by deception and tragedy.