In a significant development, Mexican authorities have apprehended the partner of an Indiana woman whose tragic end came months after she vanished with her seven children, as confirmed by prosecutors on Monday.
The victim, Makala Pendley, a 30-year-old from Indianapolis, was identified following an investigation by officials in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. Her body was discovered near the municipality of Zinacantán. It has been reported by family members that Pendley was six months pregnant at the time she went missing.
During a Facebook Live session on Monday, Chiapas State Prosecutor Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca revealed the arrest of a man named Joseph “N,” who is believed to be Pendley’s partner and the main suspect in this heartbreaking case.
Prosecutor Llaven Abarca stated, “In the coming hours, we will determine his criminal responsibility, and he may be brought to justice. We are committed to pursuing the maximum sentence of 100 years for this heinous act of femicide.”
Makala Pendley, seen in a photo with several of her children, was a devoted mother of seven from Indianapolis. Her life was tragically cut short in Chiapas after her disappearance earlier this year, leaving behind a grieving family and community.
The prosecutor also announced that Pendley’s seven children had been located and placed under government protection. According to Llaven Abarca, the children were in “good health,” and authorities were coordinating with the U.S. Embassy to reunite them with family members.
Pendley and her seven children were reported missing in February after traveling to Mexico. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a missing-person alert after they disappeared from Indianapolis on Feb. 23.
Days before identifying Pendley, Llaven Abarca disclosed during a separate Facebook Live briefing that investigators had recovered the body of a woman in the Elambó Bajo area of Zinacantán.
Downtown Indianapolis is seen on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (Max Gersh/Indy Star)
According to Llaven Abarca, preliminary findings indicated the victim died from a traumatic brain injury caused by blunt-force trauma. Investigators believe the body had been left at the location for between eight and 12 hours before it was discovered.
Indianapolis police previously said the family had been located in Mexico last month and that the children were briefly taken into custody by Mexican authorities before being returned to Pendley.
During Monday’s briefing, Llaven Abarca said authorities learned through coordination with U.S. officials that the suspect allegedly has a criminal history in the United States, including an active arrest warrant in Alaska and an Indianapolis police alert connected to the disappearance of Pendley and the children.
A view of the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, where authorities said Makala Pendley’s body was discovered.
Llaven Abarca further alleged that the suspect had previously been detained on charges including assault, robbery, fraud, illegal weapons possession, intimidation and rape.
Butler could not immediately be reached for comment.
News Media has reached out to Llaven Abarca, the Chiapas State Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. State Department for additional information.
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