Skip to main content
Clear icon
71º

Man arrested, charged in cold case murder has case dismissed

Larry Allen West was charged in the 1981 murder of Carol Joyce DeLeon

SAN ANTONIO – A man arrested last year for the 1981 murder of 18-year-old Carol Joyce DeLeon had his case dismissed last week.

Larry Allen West was arrested and charged in April last year with the over 40-year-old cold case of DeLeon.

DeLeon’s body was found along Interstate-35 in Comal County, according to DPS.

The day before her death, authorities said DeLeon visited a nightclub in San Antonio.

An autopsy revealed that Deleon died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to DPS.

DPS last year in a press release said in 2020, evidence in the case went through advanced DNA testing, and it led to the identity of West which was then confirmed through normal forensic DNA testing.

West had been waiting to be indicted while out on bond, but last week, the case was dismissed by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office due to insufficient evidence.

DeLeon’s case remains unsolved.


About the Author
Erica Hernandez headshot

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.

Loading...

Recommended Videos