The quiet stretch of Route 66 in Hebron was shaken last week after authorities confirmed the identity of a woman found dead inside a home during what investigators now believe was a murder-suicide. State police say 44-year-old Diana Enamorado Perdomo was killed in the early morning hours of March 13, in a case that has left a family grieving and a community searching for answers.
Troopers were called to a multi-family residence on Main Street around 3:30 a.m. after reports of a disturbance. When officers arrived, they quickly secured the area and called in the State Police Tactical Team. After establishing a perimeter, authorities forced their way inside the home. What they found was grim. Perdomo and a man identified as 44-year-old Gregorio Calihua-Mantiel were both discovered dead inside.
Investigators are treating Perdomo’s death as a homicide. Calihua-Mantiel’s death is being investigated as a suicide, though officials say final confirmation will come after the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner completes its work. For now, the case is being described as an apparent murder-suicide, based on the evidence gathered at the scene.
Family members remember Perdomo as far more than a name in a police report. In a fundraiser set up by her niece, she is described as a devoted mother and grandmother, someone who carried strength and kindness into every part of her life. She had come to the United States from Honduras with hopes of building a better future, working hard to support her loved ones both near and far.
That same fundraiser speaks to a deeper story of sacrifice. Perdomo and Calihua-Mantiel were both immigrants who came chasing opportunity. Now, her family is trying to raise funds to return her body to Honduras, a final journey back to the place she once called home. It’s a painful reminder of how quickly lives can be uprooted, even after years of struggle and effort.
The impact of the incident stretched beyond the home itself. Route 66 was shut down for several hours as investigators processed the scene. Schools in Hebron opened on a two-hour delay that morning, a precaution officials say was taken out of an abundance of caution. Despite the heavy police presence, authorities emphasized there was never any threat to the broader public.
As the investigation continues, many details remain under review. Autopsies are expected to provide clarity on the exact causes and manner of death. For now, the focus remains on understanding what led to the violence inside that home and ensuring that Perdomo’s story is not lost in the headlines.
In the end, what stands out most is the life behind the tragedy. A woman who crossed borders for a better future, who raised a family, and who left behind people now trying to make sense of an unimaginable loss. In Hebron, the road has reopened, but the weight of what happened there still lingers.
