A 66-year-old man, Saul Gonzalez, has been arrested in connection with the murder of a pregnant woman whose body was discovered 20 years ago in Texas, authorities announced.
Valerie Laguna, 26, who was nine months pregnant, was last seen early in the morning on July 19, 2005, at a private residence. Her body was later found that same day at Cristo Rey Cemetery in Cotulla, Texas. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Despite the case going cold, La Salle County Sheriff’s Office remained committed to solving it. Multiple administrations continued the investigation over the years, refusing to let the case fade away. In 2018, the Texas Department of Public Safety offered a $6,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Recent advances in forensic science allowed investigators to link Gonzalez to the crime. The investigation was supported by the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
Gonzalez was arrested without incident in Cotulla and has been indicted on capital murder charges. He is currently held on a $1 million bond.
Sheriff Hector Ramirez expressed the impact of the arrest, stating, “For twenty years, this community has carried the memory of a terrible loss. This arrest represents a significant step toward justice and a moment for healing for the victim’s family and the community.”
Ramirez also emphasized the importance of honoring the victim’s memory, saying the case was about giving Valerie Laguna a voice and hope to her family, despite the pain of the past.
