Nearly two decades after the tragic killing of a pregnant woman in Cotulla, Texas, authorities have finally arrested a man in a case that has haunted the community for years.
The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest of 66-year-old Saul Gonzalez, who has been indicted on a capital murder charge in the 2005 death of 26-year-old Valerie Laguna.
Laguna, who was nine months pregnant, was last seen in the early hours of July 19, 2005, at a private residence. Later that same day, her body was discovered at Cristo Rey Cemetery in Cotulla, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). An autopsy revealed that she died from blunt force trauma to the head.
A Case That Never Went Cold
Although the investigation stalled in its early years, authorities repeatedly stressed that Laguna’s case was never forgotten. In 2018, DPS announced a $6,000 reward for information that could lead to an arrest.
Investigators credit advancements in forensic science for finally linking Gonzalez to the crime. The Texas DPS Crime Lab, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office all played crucial roles in building the evidence that led to his arrest.
