The father of a missing Maryland girl now faces a murder charge in the death of the girl's mother and a search has expanded nationwide for father and daughter, police said Friday, according to the Associated Press.
Baltimore County police obtained a warrant charging Timothy Virts with first-degree murder in the slaying of 36-year-old Bobbie Jo Cortez and said he may be driving a black 1999 Dodge Durango with Maryland plates 5AJ4458, the AP reported.
Her body was found at her Dundalk home Thursday morning, according to the AP. Their daughter, 11-year-old Caitlyn Virts, has been missing, along with her father.
Cortez had multiple cuts to her upper body, police said, the AP reported. An autopsy was scheduled Friday.
Police spokeswoman Elise Armacost would not say what kind of weapon was used to kill Cortez, according to the AP. She said probable cause for the murder charge was based on physical evidence and interviews with people in the house at the time Cortez was killed.
Caitlyn's twin sister and Cortez's young son, as well as two other adults, were also living at the home. Armacost said Timothy Virts had been staying there too, for the past several weeks, the AP reported.
Armacost said Virts, 38, has not been found locally and investigators believe it is reasonable to suspect that he has left the state, according to the AP.
The FBI said Friday that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland has charged Virts with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, the AP reported. The agency said it is searching nationwide for Caitlyn and Virts and is working to put up digital billboards across the country on the search.
An Amber Alert issued in Maryland was expanded late Thursday to include West Virginia, but Armacost said authorities had no evidence that Virts had fled to that state, according to the AP.
© 2025 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
