Arlington, Texas authorities have arrested a woman in connection with the January 2012 murder of Irasema Chavez, a case that had remained unsolved for 14 years. Mayra Velasquez, 42, was taken into custody by Arlington Police on July 16 and charged with murder.
Chavez, then 32, was found dead in her home with numerous stab wounds. Despite considerable evidence, including surveillance footage and a blood sample from the scene, investigators were unable to identify a suspect. In 2024, the Arlington Police Department enlisted the FBI's Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) program to re-examine the DNA evidence.
Through approximately two years of genealogical research and DNA analysis, the FBI's IGG program identified Velasquez as a potential suspect. Police obtained DNA from discarded trash belonging to Velasquez in May, and a subsequent match was confirmed with the blood sample recovered from the crime scene, according to Arlington Police Chief Al Jones.
Arlington PD investigators had previously run the crime scene DNA through their database without finding a match. The IGG tests, which combine DNA analysis with publicly available historical records and genealogy research, proved instrumental in advancing the investigation.
Detective Tracy Dixon, the lead homicide detective on the case, stated that Velasquez's statements during an interview were also critical evidence. Police are still working to determine a motive for the killing. Jones expressed pride in the officers and investigators for their persistence in pursuing the cold case. Dixon noted the emotional impact of being able to provide closure to Chavez's family after more than a decade.