ENNIS, Texas — A final wave of justice may be coming to the family of 15-year-old Moriah Gonzales -- even if it's 10 years late.
This week, the Ennis Police Department said Mexican Federal Police alerted the Texas Department of Public Safety that Jennifer Puente was in their custody.
Puente has been on the run for 10 years -- wanted for stabbing and killing Gonzales in March of 2012.
Investigators say she discarded and burned the teen's body on the side of a lonely road in Ennis with the help of now 40-year-old Joe Alvarado.
Alvarado was convicted of Gonzales' murder and is currently serving a 34-year sentence for the crime and an additional 20 years for tampering with evidence.
At the time of the murder, Puente was only 18 years old.
Ennis Police Chief Dustin Munn told WFAA he and investigators are working with the United States Marshal's Office to positively identify Puente so the extradition process can begin.
He said he's hopeful police have Puente but won't rest easy until extradition is approved and thoroughly carried out.
Munn said details of the capture or how it even happened still haven't been made public yet.
Nevertheless, Gonzales' sister told WFAA Friday her family is thrilled.
"It just hit us all at once," Danielle Gonzales told WFAA. "We knew this day would come but didn't know when."
March 2012
Gonzales was murdered in Ennis on March 17, 2012. She, Alvarado, and Puente were all hanging out before her death in the home of Alvarado's mother.
Alvarado has publicly stated since the murder that Puente was under the influence of drugs and threatened Gonzales with a knife playfully before stabbing her multiple times.
He later testified that he agreed to dump and burn Gonzales' body along Knighthurst Drive in Ennis with Puente. Puente was Alvarado's ex-girlfriend.
After Gonzales' body was identified, police found her last contact had been with Puente. That's when a search for her and Alvarado began.
A tip came in that both were at a Grand Prairie hotel, and Alvarado was captured there soon after.
Puente, however, escaped and has been on the run ever since.
Danielle Gonzales told WFAA she and her family felt hopeless at times.
"We just left it to God, because we didn't know what to do," Gonzales said Friday.
"We didn't expect something like this out of nowhere, though," she said. "It's almost disbelief that it took so long."
'True Crime Broads'
Weeks ago, Gonzales' sisters went on a local podcast called 'True Crime Broads' to discuss the case.
Crystal Lawson and Renae Rodden co-host it.
During the podcast, the sisters said that Puente could be living in Mexico and offered an address of where she might be.
The sisters said that it was provided to them by someone.
"Someone sends them this address, and I made sure Renae got that information right to Ennis Police," Lawson said.
"I immediately found out who was in charge of the case and sent it straight to them," Rodden said.
"We have our fingers crossed that they have the right person, and it's the right Jennifer," Lawson added.
Munn said it was too early to tell if the podcast had anything to do with the capture. Either way, Lawson and Rodden are glad the case is getting exposure and a possible conclusion.
"We hope that we helped, but if we didn't, that's fine too," Lawson said. "We really want to help bring people to justice."
Gonzales is keeping her fingers crossed, as well.
"This is what my sister deserves and what we all want." she said.