Texas woman charged with 2012 murder after FBI DNA genealogy test solves cold case

Mayra Velasquez, 42, was arrested in Arlington, Texas, over the stabbing death of Irasema Chavez, 13 years after the case went cold.

Arlington cold case cracked after FBI genetic genealogy links suspect to 100-stab killing

A Texas woman has been charged with murder in connection with a homicide that went unsolved for 14 years, after FBI DNA testing identified her as the alleged perpetrator, kcra.com reports.

Mayra Velasquez, 42, of Manteca, was arrested by Arlington Police on 16 July and charged in the January 2012 killing of her friend Irasema Chavez inside Chavez's home on S. Collins Street in Arlington, Texas. Chavez, then 32, was found dead with 100 stab wounds.

Investigators had gathered substantial evidence at the scene at the time — including surveillance footage and a blood sample — but were unable to match that evidence to a named suspect. Arlington Police Chief Al Jones told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that the case remained in limbo despite those leads.

In 2024, the department referred the DNA evidence to the FBI's Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) programme. The IGG process combines DNA analysis, genealogy research and publicly available historical records. After approximately two years of additional investigation, the programme identified Velasquez as a potential suspect, Jones said.

Officers collected Velasquez's DNA from discarded rubbish in May. That sample matched the blood recovered from the crime scene, according to Jones.

Det. Tracy Dixon, the lead homicide detective on the case, said Velasquez was subsequently interviewed and that statements she made during that interview formed a further critical element of the evidence supporting her arrest. Dixon declined to provide further details on the content of those statements.

"I am extremely proud of the work that our officers and crime scene investigators did on this case. They showed tenacity and dedication and never gave up," Jones said.

Dixon became visibly emotional when asked about the length of time the case had remained open and the response from Chavez's family upon learning of the arrest.

"Being able to share that with the family is why we do this work, and they were very grateful," Dixon said.

Jones said investigators are continuing to work to establish a motive for the killing. Attorney information for Velasquez was not immediately available.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)