Man Kills Woman Who Lied About His Girlfriend's Whereabouts, Bludgeons Her 4-Year-Old Child

A Kansas City man was arrested for murdering a friend of his girlfriend and bludgeoning her 4-year-old daughter to near death. Jose E. Escalante-Corchado was allegedly angry at the woman for lying about where his girlfriend was when she spent a night out without him.

Jose E. Escalante-Corchado was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mackenzie Hopkins. Additionally, he is also facing charges for first-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child for bludgeoning Hopkins' daughter, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a statement.

Hopkins' body was found in a bathtub at her home during a welfare check Saturday. Officers were led by "large amounts of blood" and "drag marks" throughout the house to a bed where the child was found with "severe blunt force trauma to her head," Baker said in the statement.

Authorities rushed the child to a nearby hospital where she remained in critical condition until Tuesday, Law and Crime reported. The grisly scene inside the house indicated extreme violence, according to the outlet.

"There were several spots on the floor inside the main floor of the residence where large amounts of blood had pooled and there were apparent drag marks in blood where it appeared the victim had been moved. In different locations there were shoe impressions in blood," stated the arrest affidavit cited by Law and Crime.

Cops learned that a 911 call was made from the victim's cell phone to report a disturbance. The line wasn't disconnected and the operator who received the call reportedly heard "parties fighting." The footprints inside the house matched a cowboy boot made by "ARIAT."

When deputies were interrogating Escalante's girlfriend in her house the following day, they noticed a pair of boots near the front door which matched the brand and style of the prints left in blood at Hopkins’ apartment. On being asked, the woman said the boots belonged to her boyfriend.

The woman revealed that she had lied to her boyfriend about where she was the night before the murder took place. "[Hopkins’ friend] stated she told Escalante she was going to be with the victim the evening of 1-14-2022 when she was going out. [Hopkins’ friend] stated this was a cover story and she did not plan on being with the victim," the arrest affidavit read.

Escalante is currently being held at the Wyandotte County Jail without bond.