DELANO, CA - There are still no arrests in the death of a Delano mother whose body was found in the Friant-Kern Canal one year ago. Delano police say the estranged husband of Erika Padron Lango remains a person of interest in her death, but there isn't enough evidence to make an arrest. Delano police say Julio Lango was the last person to see Erika Lango alive.
He was facing three misdemeanor charges of spousal battery when she disappeared. The charges were dismissed after Erika went missing and didn't appear as a witness in court.
Surveillance video shows the 26-year-old mother of four on October 9, 2013, leaving an AM-PM store with her estranged husband. That's the last time she was seen alive.
After her disappearance, Erika's family spoke with 17 News about her relationship with her husband.
Erika's cousin Jessica Cisneros said, "She was married to him for about nine years and abuse was always in the picture. She just always tried to make things work, she always gave him the benefit of the doubt like probably he could just change."
According to court documents filed two weeks before her disappearance, Erika told police Julio grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the ground because he felt the house wasn't clean. Since Erika never made it to court to testify about those allegations, the case was dropped.
Experts say this type of abuse is often seen in cases of domestic violence.
Carolann Wooton with the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault said, "It's common in a domestic violence situation for the abuser to overreact in a way that doesn't seem appropriate for the violation....burning dinner, cooking late, not having dinner ready when you come home, those are actually really good warning signs that you have a problem."
Wooton says three women have been killed in our county this year because of domestic abuse. She says the organization helped nearly 3,000 victims of abuse last year, but there are likely thousands more.
"We also know that many violent situations don't get reported. Probably more than half," said Wooton.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, you can call the alliance hotline at 327-1091.
Anyone with information about Erika Lango's death is asked to call Delano police 721-3377.
He was facing three misdemeanor charges of spousal battery when she disappeared. The charges were dismissed after Erika went missing and didn't appear as a witness in court.
Surveillance video shows the 26-year-old mother of four on October 9, 2013, leaving an AM-PM store with her estranged husband. That's the last time she was seen alive.
After her disappearance, Erika's family spoke with 17 News about her relationship with her husband.
Erika's cousin Jessica Cisneros said, "She was married to him for about nine years and abuse was always in the picture. She just always tried to make things work, she always gave him the benefit of the doubt like probably he could just change."
According to court documents filed two weeks before her disappearance, Erika told police Julio grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the ground because he felt the house wasn't clean. Since Erika never made it to court to testify about those allegations, the case was dropped.
Experts say this type of abuse is often seen in cases of domestic violence.
Carolann Wooton with the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault said, "It's common in a domestic violence situation for the abuser to overreact in a way that doesn't seem appropriate for the violation....burning dinner, cooking late, not having dinner ready when you come home, those are actually really good warning signs that you have a problem."
Wooton says three women have been killed in our county this year because of domestic abuse. She says the organization helped nearly 3,000 victims of abuse last year, but there are likely thousands more.
"We also know that many violent situations don't get reported. Probably more than half," said Wooton.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, you can call the alliance hotline at 327-1091.
Anyone with information about Erika Lango's death is asked to call Delano police 721-3377.