Two women arrested in Hidalgo County murder investigation

Two additional arrests have been made in connection with the murder of a 41-year-old man whose body was found inside a buried barrel near Edinburg, according to the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office.

Monica Victoria Gomez, 41, was arraigned Thursday on charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence. Jennifer Jane Snider, 39, was charged with tampering with physical evidence, according to a news release.

Gomez and Snider were already in custody at the Hidalgo County Jail on unrelated charges of human trafficking and possession, respectively, and possession of a controlled substance, when they were arrested Wednesday, adds the Press release.

The two women have been charged for their alleged roles in the death of Juan Carlos Hernandez De Leon, whose body was found on May 15 in a barrel buried at a home in rural Edinburgh.

LEARN MORE: Victim Identified in Hidalgo County Murder Investigation, Two Suspects Charged

Jesus Grijalva, Samuel Uvalle Sr. and Alejandro Cantu had already been arrested in connection with the death.

According to an affidavit provided to Channel 5 News, three individuals – identified as Grijalva, Uvalle Sr. and Roberto Salas – attacked De Leon with a hammer at Grijalva's residence in San Juan on May 7.

De Leon died as a result of the attack and his body was placed in the barrel which was found buried at the Edinburgh property, the affidavit states.

Cantu was seen picking up the excavator used to bury the barrel containing De Leon's body, the sheriff's office said in an earlier news release.

PREVIOUS STORY: Third Arrest Made in Hidalgo County Murder Investigation

On Friday, the sheriff's office said Gomez participated in the fatal assault and that she and Snider helped dispose of De Leon's cellphone.

Gomez's bail was set at $4 million and Snider's was set at $1 million.

Investigators continue to search for Salas.

Those with information related to the investigation are asked to contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office at 956-383-8114.