Arlington, Texas – A real estate agent has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the 2012 killing of Irasema Chavez, a case that remained unsolved for over a decade. Mayra Velasquez, 42, was taken into custody July 17 by the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department.
Chavez, 32, was found dead on January 20, 2012, inside her second-floor apartment. Investigators noted no signs of forced entry, suggesting the victim may have known her attacker or willingly opened the door. The autopsy revealed Chavez suffered approximately 100 stab wounds. Investigators recovered DNA from the crime scene that did not belong to Chavez.
In 2016, Arlington police utilized DNA phenotyping technology in an attempt to identify a suspect, but the resulting composite profile did not yield a breakthrough. The case gained new momentum in November 2023 when Arlington police collaborated with the FBI's Dallas Field Office and its investigative genetic genealogy program. This partnership provided a significant lead earlier this year.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific evidence that confirmed the genealogy lead or whether Velasquez knew Chavez. Detectives subsequently gathered additional evidence leading to the warrant for Velasquez's arrest.
Surveillance footage from the night before Chavez's body was discovered showed a figure in baggy clothing and a hoodie ascending the stairs to the victim's apartment. The individual knocked, appeared to have a brief exchange, and was admitted into the unit. This footage was previously released by police in an effort to identify the person, but it did not lead to an immediate arrest.
Velasquez, who worked as a local real estate agent, frequently posted property listings on social media. Her real estate license remained active, and state records listed her affiliation with Pure Realtors LLC. News outlets have reached out to the company for comment.
Following the alleged murder, Velasquez's social media accounts reportedly showed her traveling internationally with friends and family to destinations including Peru, Mexico, Paris, and London.
Velasquez is being held without bond at the Tarrant County Corrections Center. Her charge is listed as "capital murder by terror threat/other felony."