A new clue has emerged in the search for a 42-year-old Denton woman who disappeared nearly three weeks ago, after volunteers discovered her wallet along a rural road in Decatur on Sunday morning. Marjulin Briceño Arrieta has been missing since Sept. 28, when police said she met with her estrange d husband, 49-year-old Richard Perez, at his apartment. Perez is suspected of murdering her and remains wanted by authorities. The Denton Police Department and FBI Dallas have asked for the public’s help locating Perez, who was last seen in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The discovery came during two volunteer-led searches Sunday organized by Alfonso Solis, founder of a search and rescue nonprofit. A group of volunteers found Arrieta’s wallet containing her identification, credit cards and other personal belongings in a rural area off Highway 360 in Decatur, about 25 minutes from where she was last seen. For a family that has spent nearly three weeks searching for answers, the discovery brought an emotional response. Relatives hugged one another and broke down in tears after learning about the find. “My heart sank because there hasn’t been, nothing’s been found in three weeks. It’ll be three weeks tomorrow and this is the first clue that we have. So this is a breakthrough,” Solis said. The Denton and Wise County sheriff’s offices responded to the scene, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, which recovered the evidence. Authorities also spent time searching the surrounding field. Investigators have not announced whether the discovery will lead them to Arrieta’s whereabouts. Police said Arrieta’s car was found abandoned at Perez’s apartment after her disappearance. Investigators said Perez switched the license plates on his white 2013 Ford Escape and was later spotted in Albuquerque. Authorities have been able to track Perez through Flock license plate recognition cameras, according to police. Meanwhile, Arrieta’s family continues to grapple with the uncertainty surrounding her disappearance, hoping to find her body so they can finally say goodbye. Family friend Denisse Carrera described the heartbreak surrounding the search. “Her words exactly were like, Oh my God, I didn’t get to say goodbye to my mom. He really just threw my mom like an animal,” Carrera said. Community volunteers have continued supporting the family through searches and prayer as authorities investigate. Denton County Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,000 reward for information as the search for Perez continues. For Arrieta’s loved ones, the discovery of her wallet represents a possible step toward finding her and getting answers about what happened. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less