A one-year-old girl was discovered alive next to the bodies of her parents in a sugarcane field in Guatemala, after her father, who had been deported from the US, and her mother were found dead with their hands tied. The tragic discovery was made on Tuesday outside the south-western city of Retalhuleu, approximately 112 miles west of Guatemala City.
Victims identified
The victims have been identified as Nixon Giovanni Perez, 43, and his wife, Glendy Marisol Gonzalez, 25. According to police, Perez had a possible gunshot wound to his neck, while Gonzalez had suffered a fatal head wound. Their hands had been tied behind their backs. The couple had been reported missing several days earlier.
Investigators recovered shell casings and a pink and white Champion shoe from the area. The couple had no personal belongings with them, and a red striped motorbike was also found and seized by police. Authorities have not yet stated what they believe happened to Perez and Gonzalez.
Family background
The couple had been living in Missouri before Perez was deported from the US last year. His brother Rolando said Perez had originally fled violence and poverty in Guatemala. Perez worked in roofing and was detained alongside his brother while they were travelling to jobs in Overland, Missouri. Immigration agents took both men into custody, according to Rolando.
Gonzalez remained in the US with their children following her husband's deportation. She later self-deported back home to be with her family. The young mother had been working two jobs while also helping the Missouri Workers Center. She was a member of an immigrant rights organising committee run by the group.
Community tribute
The Missouri Workers Center said Gonzalez began attending its 'Fuerza' meetings (organising sessions for immigrant workers) just three weeks after giving birth. 'She was working two jobs, bringing new members, showing up — even as her world was being torn apart,' the group wrote in a social media tribute.
Gonzalez had an asylum court date scheduled for 2027, according to the organisation. But it said that she feared she could lose custody of her three daughters if she remained in the United States. 'In June, to protect her daughters and keep the rest of her family together – and fearing she might lose custody of the girls – Glendy made the impossible decision to go back to Guatemala, even with an asylum court date set for 2027,' it added.
Deportation surge
Almost 32,000 people were deported back to Guatemala during the first six months of 2026, UN data shows. That's an increase of 47% compared with the same period in 2025. More than 90% of those deportees were sent from the US, with the remainder deported from Mexico. The sharp rise coincides with Donald Trump and ICE's controversial mass deportation drive.
The deaths have highlighted the dangers that some deportees can face on returning to Guatemala, a country known for incredibly high rates of murder and violent crime. Guatemala has experienced a recent spike in killings, which its government has attributed to organised crime. Officials announced a plan on Monday to strengthen security measures across the country.
Investigation and response
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and police in Overland didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Guatemalan authorities have said that they're investigating the deaths and will issue an update in due course. The baby daughter and the couple's two other children have been placed in the care of extended family, Guatemala's prosecutor's office said.
The Missouri Workers Center will hold a vigil for the couple on Sunday.
