COTULLA, Texas – A man has been charged in connection with a 20-year-old cold case murder in Cotulla, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday.
On July 19, 2005, the body of Valerie Laguna — who was pregnant at the time of her death — was found at Cristo Rey Cemetery in Cotulla.
“Today, through advanced forensic analysis, investigators have linked a suspect to this horrific crime,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said Laguna appeared to have been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled. Her unborn baby also died.
Saul Gonzalez, 66, of Cotulla, was arrested by DPS Texas Rangers at the Eagle Ford Crossing in Cotulla without incident and charged with capital murder in connection with Laguna’s death, according to the sheriff’s office.
Gonzalez was indicted by a La Salle County grand jury on Friday, the sheriff’s office said. He was booked into the La Salle County Jail on a $1 million bond.
In 2021, Texas Rangers identified Laguna’s case as eligible for the DPS Sexual Assault Kit Initiative program, which is funded by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The DOJ/BJA provides funding for agencies across the United States to investigate unsolved sexual assaults and sexually related homicides “with the hope of bringing justice to victims and their families,” DPS said.
“For twenty years, this community has carried the memory of a terrible loss,” Sheriff Hector Ramirez said. “This arrest represents a significant step toward justice. More importantly, it represents a moment for healing — for the victim’s family, who have waited so long, and for a community that has never forgotten.”
Ramirez said details of the case are limited due to the pending prosecution.
“This case has always been about more than just solving a crime,” Ramirez said. “It has been about giving a voice to the victim, honoring her memory, and providing hope to her family. We know that nothing can erase the pain of the past, but we pray that this step forward brings comfort as we now move into the prosecution phase.”
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