Prosecutors believe new DNA evidence links an Ogden man to the Christmas Day stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend, whose body was found buried under snow at the Huntsville cemetery last year.

Recent lab test results suggest partial DNA evidence found under the fingernails of 26-year-old Noemi Rodriguez matches DNA found in the boxer shorts of 33-year-old Gutberto Heras-Corrales, court documents state.

This new evidence prompted the Weber County Attorney's Office on Friday to file a first-degree felony murder charge against Heras-Corrales. A $50,000 warrant has been issued for the arrest of the defendant, who is believed to be in Mexico.

Heras-Corrales is the ex-boyfriend of Rodriguez and the father of one of her children.

Early in the murder investigation, family and friends of the pair told authorities the couple often fought and that Heras-Corrales had assaulted Rodriguez and threatened to kill her. Police said he has been "a person of interest" since her body was found.

Heras-Corrales was also charged in December 2008 with aggravated arson for intentionally setting Rodriguez's Layton house on fire the week before she died, police said.

A Huntsville city employee uncovered Rodriguez's body while plowing snow at the cemetery on December 26. She had numerous stab wounds to her face and neck. An autopsy later confirmed that she bled to death from her wounds.

Police and prosecutors believe Heras-Corrales left Utah about 5 p.m. on the day of the murder and fled to Mexico with his mother.

Heras-Corrales' cell phone records show he made several phone calls to an unknown number in Mexico while driving through Arizona the day after the murder. He was last seen driving a red and tan 2003 burgundy Ford F-150 pickup with license plate number A969MZ.

Court documents state that the odds of the DNA from the victim's fingernails belonging to someone other than Heras-Corrales is 1 in 1,027.