Pomona Woman Goes Missing Days Before Husband Dies of Apparent Suicide

Authorities were searching for a 38-year-old woman who went missing a few days before her husband's body was discovered in an apparent suicide at their home in Pomona, officials announced Thursday.

Police responding to a suicide call Wednesday found Ivan Zarate dead in his garage at the home he shared with his wife Marisela Fabian Hernandez around 10:30 a.m., according to the Pomona Police Department.

"When I came back I thought somebody broke into my garage because the lock was missing and there he was," said 19-year-old Fernando Zarate, the oldest of four kids in the family. "He was the best."

Police are investigating what they call suspicious circumstances around the disappearance of Hernandez, who failed to report to work on Sunday and has yet to contact her kids or relatives.

Hernandez, who has a history of marital problems with Zarate, has left two or three times before, but is always in contact with her family, according to Marcus Perez of the Pomona Police Department. Hernandez left her car behind and it is unknown how she left her home.

Police say Hernandez may have a boyfriend in Albany, New York after family said that's where she disappeared to last month. 

"I hope she's watching, I hope she can get down here as soon as she can because there's a lot of things that need to be taken care of," Fernando said.

A possible murder-suicide has not been ruled out, police said.

Hernandez is described as 5-foot-3, weighs 133 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Hernandez's whereabouts is asked to call the Pomona Police Department at 909- 620-2151.

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