A reward is being offered for the capture of a 34-year-old man charged with murdering his wife, leaving her body in a shallow grave in western Minnesota and fleeing with their two children to their native Mexico.

Jose Fernando Munoz-Teran, 34, who was married to Renata Fernandez-Ramon, picked up their children from school in Ortonville on Oct. 7, 2011, and told staff they were moving to Mexico, according to police.

On Nov. 24, 2011, their mother's body was found by a property owner in Big Stone County, police added. Fernandez-Ramon had not been seen since the day before her children were removed from school. Authorities have not disclosed how she was killed.

Authorities went through the couple's Ortonville apartment three days earlier and collected blood from a bedroom closet door, doorknob and wall, and blood from the floor of another closet in the residence, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in the case.

A woman who reported that Fernandez-Ramon was missing said she received a call from Munoz-Teran roughly 10 days after Fernandez-Ramon was last seen, the affidavit continued. Munoz-Teran told the woman his wife ran off with another man, the document read. The woman said she also spoke with both children, and they said they were "doing okay and visiting an uncle," according to the filing.

About a year after Fernandez-Ramon's death, Munoz-Teran was indicted by a grand jury on counts of first- and second-degree murder.

Munoz-Teran may be in Veracruz, Mexico, according to investigators. They say he also has connections to Minneapolis, Michigan and Milbank, S.D., 12 miles southwest of Ortonville.

He is described as Hispanic, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 170 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. He has tattoos on his right arm and both legs. The children are now ages 10 and 12.

Anyone with information about Munoz-Teran's whereabouts is urged to contact the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at bca.coldcase@state.mn.us or 1-877-996-6222, or by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. A reward of $1,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482