On June 20, 2013, Tucson Police made arrests in a custodial interference investigation, which began in November 2012 and involved the disappearance of Luis Palacio with his 2-year old daughter, Caroline Oddo.
United States Marshal’s Service personnel assisted with locating Caroline Oddo in March 2013. Caroline Oddo and Estella Lovemore were with Daniella Lovemore when she was apprehended at a border crossing between the United States and Mexico.
In November, it was believed that Mr. Palacio had left Tucson, as he left a note saying that he would be leaving out of state. Palacio is Caroline’s father and was still married to her mother, there was no restriction in place preventing him from having custody of his daughter. Palacio and his wife, Caroline’s mother, have been estranged for several months, but had a verbal agreement regarding custody/visitation for each of them with their daughter.
The issue of custodial interference arose when Mr. Palacio failed to return Caroline to her mother under their normal custody/visitation agreement.
Tucson Police investigators, working in collaboration with personnel from the Marana Police Department as well as the United States Marshal’s Service, Virginia Palacio (43-years old, mother of Luis Palacio), Leticia Romero (62-years old, grandmother of Luis Palacio), and Jose Romero (68-years old, grandfather of Luis Palacio), were all located on June 20, 2013 and charged for assisting Palacio in his flight from Tucson as well as during the time that he retained custody of his daughter.
Virginia Palacio and Leticia Romero were each charged with 1 count of Custodial Interference (Class 4 Felony) and 1 count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree (Class 5 Felony). Jose Romero was charged with 1 count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree (Class 5 Felony). They were transported and booked into the Pima County Jail.
Palacio has not yet been located, and the investigation continues.