A successful Texas realtor has been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of her friend, who was found stabbed more than 100 times in her apartment over a decade ago. Mayra Velasquez, 42, was taken into custody Friday on charges of capital murder.
The victim, Irasema Chavez, 32, was found stabbed to death inside her South Collins Street apartment in Arlington on January 20, 2012. The case had gone cold for 14 years until police partnered with the FBI in 2024 to utilize its Investigative Genetic Genealogy Program, which ultimately led investigators to Velasquez.
Arlington Police Chief Alexander "Al" Jones stated that Velasquez and Chavez were "close friends." Velasquez lived only a few miles from the apartment where Chavez was discovered. She had reportedly been inside the apartment several times before the grim discovery, though a motive for the alleged killing remains unclear.
"Telling the family... That's why being able to share that with the family is why we do this work. They were very grateful, it was emotional," said Arlington Homicide Detective Tracey Dixon, describing the moment she informed the victim's family that the case was being solved.
For years, investigators had limited evidence, primarily grainy surveillance footage showing a shadowy, hooded figure approaching the apartment the night before the murder. DNA evidence recovered at the scene also failed to match anyone in existing databases at the time. Officials are now confident they have the correct suspect and believe Velasquez is the person seen in the surveillance footage.
Chief Jones also detailed that a television was stolen from Chavez's apartment and is believed to have been taken by the killer. A drop of blood recovered from a TV stand inside the unit was determined not to belong to Chavez. Information about Chavez and Velasquez's relationship, obtained from a cellphone, is expected to be presented in court. Detective Dixon noted that investigators received "helpful information" during their interview with Velasquez that will aid the prosecution. The police chief indicated that investigators are not currently looking at other individuals in connection with the case, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities determined that Chavez had been stabbed approximately 100 times. There were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, leading police to believe she may have known her killer. In 2016, police utilized Parabon NanoLabs, where scientists generated a predicted image of the suspect based on DNA markers, but this did not lead to an identification.
The FBI's advanced investigative program combines crime-scene DNA analysis with public genealogy databases and family tree research. In 2024, investigators obtained DNA from discarded trash and sent it for analysis, which ultimately pointed to Velasquez, providing enough probable cause for an arrest warrant. Velasquez was taken into custody "without incident."
Velasquez, an active real estate agent with Pure Realtors, LLC, also previously worked as Affiliate Manager for JC Limo. Social media posts from the years following the alleged murder depict Velasquez with family and friends, and include photos of travel. She is currently being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Center without bond. Her next court appearance date has not yet been announced.