The Journals of Maria Muñoz is a CBS 48 Hours episode scheduled to air on CBS on December 16, 2023. The episode follows the details of Maria Munoz’s death, which was caused by a complicated mix of drugs in her body. Whether the drugs were carefully introduced into her system to lead to death or if it was an accident was the central debate at the trial.
On September 22, 2020, Maria Muñoz, 31, was found unresponsive at her residence. The cause of death was declared to be an unlikely mix of drugs that she took, including Morphine and Narcan, accompanied by many others. While the possibilities of suicide or accidental death were considered, her husband’s profession in anesthesiology became a reason for the police to dig deeper into the story.
The autopsy report produced fairly vague results, as the cause of death was declared to be drug intoxication but the manner of death was still undetermined. Signs of force or coercion on her body were absent. Authorities turned to her journals to understand Maria Muñoz’s state of mind when she died, following the lack of solid scientific evidence. Based on analysis, Maria did not display suicidal symptoms. Moreover, the journals suggested that Maria was looking to end the marriage with Pellot.
Maria Muñoz’s autopsy & cause of death explained
The strongest and central argument presented against Joel Pellot was the presence of propofol in Maria’s body. Propofol is, under no circumstances, used as a drug to get high. It is used strictly in the operating room when it is very clear that breathing will stop. This was contradictory to Joel Pellot’s argument that he and Maria had just taken a mix of drugs to get high and he had no intention to harm his wife.
Joel Pellot’s lawyer also argued that the lack of any signs of force on Maria Muñoz’s body is suggestive of her willingly taking the drugs without any coercion. However, cross-checking with social circles, her friends, and her family suggested that there wasn’t anyone other than Joel who could have supplied that amount of propofol to her.
Janet Arrendondo, a woman whom Pellot was revealed to be having an affair with, claimed that Pellot was going to leave Maria for her. Maria Muñoz’s journals suggested that the marriage was getting tiresome. Pellot also told Maria’s sister that it was his wife’s final wish to be cremated, which pointed to an attempt to hide potential evidence.
On March 30, 2023, the highly publicised trial following Maria Muñoz’s murder concluded with Joel Pellot, the victim’s husband, being declared guilty of murder and tampering with evidence. He was subsequently sentenced to lifetime imprisonment after a trial that unfolded over eight days. Considering the media attention that the case received, the evidence presented in court also became an important part of the story, with Muñoz’s autopsy details being heavily discussed.
The Journals of Maria Muñoz will be aired on CBS on December 16, 2023.
