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San Antonio
Police Department
SOLVED COLD CASES |
The San Antonio Police Department's Homicide detectives have
reviewed hundreds of unsolved homicide cases during the past 15 years.
Since 2000 a detective has been
assigned full-time to Cold Cases investigations. In 2002, a second detective
was added to the Cold Case Squad, and in 2005, a third detective was
assigned part-time to work on Cold Cases.
Cold Cases that have been solved since 1998 include these listed below:
Case No80/121362
Murder of GLADYS RAMIREZ
April 17, 1980,
374 Eland |

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SYNOPSIS: On Wednesday, April 17, 1980, Police Officers and the Fire Department
were dispatched to 374 Eland for a house fire. When the Fire Department
arrived, they found the Complainant inside the house, burned and deceased.
Dr. Ruben Santos of the Medical Examiner's Office, performed
an autopsy on the Complainant. The results of the autopsy showed the
Complainant had also been stabbed and strangled along with being
burned, and the death was ruled a Homicide. Gladys Jean Ramirez
was 29 years old at the time of her death.
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CASE SOLVED: In 2004, a former San Antonio resident
who was residing in Virginia saw Gladys Ramirez's case on the
SAPD Cold Case web page. The witness came forward and provided detectives
with a statement that identified the husband of Gladys Ramirez as
the suspect in the murder. Detectives obtained statements from two
additional witnesses, and on October 7, 2004, SAPD Homicide Detective George
Saidler
obtained a Murder Warrant for
Jose Angel Ramirez, (LM DOB 6/20/50), the husband of Gladys Ramirez.
Jose Ramirez was arrested the same day, and is currently awaiting
trial.
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Case No83/199090
Murder of RACHEL KOSUB
June 6, 1983,
5103 Randolph Blvd |
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SYNOPSIS: On June 6, 1983, Rachel Kosub was found raped and
strangled to death by a silk stocking. She was found on the floor
of the interior design shop where she worked, at 5103 Randolph Blvd.
Rachel Kosub was 32 years
old at the time of her death. |
CASE SOLVED: On June 26, 2003, SAPD Homicide Detective
George Saidler
obtained a Murder warrant for Mike Edgar Dossett (WM DOB 8/26/48),
who was arrested the same day. Dossett had been a suspect in the case
for many years, due to other rapes he had committed. When interviewed
soon after Rachel Kosub's murder, Dossett told detectives
about a "dream", which was actually a confession. In 2003, SAPD Homicide
detectives sent the evidence from the rape kit taken at the time of
Kossub's death to the Bexar County Crime Lab for DNA testing (DNA testing was not available in 1983).
The DNA evidence matched Dossett's DNA, and detectives filed a case on him June,
2003.
Dossett was indicted in September of 2003,
and went to trial for the Murder of Rachel Kosub in January, 2005.
The jury found Dossett Guilty of Murder, and he was sentenced to
40 years in jail. He is currently in TDC.
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Case No85/111944
Murder of JOSE BRANT
March 22, 1985,
219 Third Street |
SYNOPSIS: On March 22, 1985, Jose Brant, age 30, was asleet in the loft
area of the Anybody's Game Room located at 219 Third St. Two mem, one of whom was
later identified as Wilfredo Viciedo, walked into the game room, climbed the
ladder to the loft, pulled out a handgun, and shot Mr Brant while he was
asleep. It was reported that the motive for the murder was drug related, and
that Viciedo received $1000 for killing Brant.
In 1986 a case was filed with the D.A. and a warrant issued for Mr Viciedo.
Viciedo had no local record and was reported to be from Cuba, with several alias
names and identifiers. He remained at large for over 20 years, until 2007.
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SUSPECT ARRESTED: On Wednesday, January 31, 2007, members of the
SAPD Tactical Response Unit (TRU) made a traffic stop at IH 35 Frontage Rd and
Goldfield, on the city's northeast side. Viciedo was found in the vehicle and
gave one of his many aliases. He denied being in San Antonio or having anything
to do with the 1985 murder. The diligence and persistence of the TRU officers
eventually led to the identification of Viciedo as the person named in the
1986 warrant. Viciedo was arrested, turned over to Bexar County Warrant
Officers, and booked for Murder.
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Arrested Suspect Wilfredo Marrero Viciedo |
Case No85/538435
Murder of JOHN FRISCO
December 13, 1985,
5100 Walzem |
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SYNOPSIS: On December 13, 1985, Lt. John Paul Frisco of the
Windcrest Police Department was working security, in full uniform, outside
a club, when he interrupted a car burglar. Frisco was dragged down the
street by the suspected car burglar's truck, and then thrown from the truck into
oncoming traffic. Frisco was hit by another vehicle and died at the
scene. The suspect Frisco was trying to apprehend fled the scene.
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CASE SOLVED: Fifteen years later, a suspect arrested by
SAPD Narcotics Unit
officers for a narcotics charge, indicated
he had information about the 1985 murder of John Frisco. SAPD Homicide
Detective George Saidler interviewed the suspect, who gave Saidler
information that eventually
led to the truck that had been used in the murder, and then to Pablo
Salinas as the murder suspect. (The truck was
then being used as a chicken coop.)
On April, 2001, Pablo Salinas (LM 9/15/1963)
was arrested for the Murder
of John Frisco. He was tried and found Guilty, and in 2003 Salinas was
sentenced to 25 years in TDC. |
Case No86/553243
Murder of MICHAEL O'DONNELL
November 19, 1986,
1543 Somerset Rd |
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SYNOPSIS: Shortly after midnight on
November 20, 1986, Michael O'Donnell
and Benito Rivera were each shot while playing pool
with two other men at the Blue Sky Lounge located
at 1543 Somerset Rd.
After the shooting, one suspect
said, "They want to play, but don't want to pay,"
suggesting that the shooting was over wagers placed
on the pool games. Michael
O'Donnell died at the hospital and Benito Rivera
survived his wounds. |
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CASE SOLVED: In 2000, SAPD
Detective Andrew Carian filed on David Cantu (LM 3/3/64)
for the Murder of Michael O'Donnell. Cantu was tried, and found
Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter. He was sentenced to 10 years probation
beginning in 2001.
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Case No87/046463
Murder of DIANNA LOWREY
January 29, 1987,
404 Bailey |
SYNOPSIS: On January 29, 1987, 25-year-old Diana Lowery was found dead in the bathroom
of her home by her live-in boyfriend when he returned home from work.
The cause of death was ruled asphyxia. Lowrey was last seen by her boyfriend
early in the morning when he left for work, and when he found her body
when he returned from work at 6:30pm.
Police believe the victim might have known her attacker or a key
was used to gain entry to the apartment. Lowery was very fearful and
would not open the door even for the landlord. No signs of forced entry
were found. |
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CASE SOLVED: In 2005, SAPD Cold Case
Detectives filed on Larry Leroy Moore (WM 02-09-53)
for the Murder of Dianna Lowrey. Moore was the landlord of the
duplex where Lowrey resided and where she was found murdered.
Police had questioned Moore in 1987 after the assault but did not charge him.
Recently, however, a witness contacted SAPD with
additional information, leading Cold Case detectives to reopen the case.
The suspect currently resides in
Felton, California, and the Santa Cruz, California Sheriff's Department was
instrumental in the investigation and apprehension of the
suspect. SAPD Cold Case detectives went to California to collect DNA
evidence from Moore, and that DNA matched sexual assault evidence from the
murder scene. On July 12, 2005, detectives obtained an arrest
warrant for Larry Leroy Moore, and the suspect will be
extradited back to San Antonio by
the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.
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Case No89/177682
Murder of JAYNE HAYS
April 17, 1989, 1991,
402 Bryn Mawr |
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SYNOPSIS: Jayne Hays was an elderly woman who lived alone in a downstairs
apartment. When a neighbor was not able to get a response from her apartment,
the neighbor contacted the apartment manager. Upon entry into the apartment,
Jayne Hays was located lying on the floor, bludgeoned to death. |
CASE SOLVED: In January, 2003, the case was reopened by the Cold Case squad, witnesses
were re-interviewed, and a motive was established. The suspect was the maid,
who had been fired by Mrs. Hays in February of 1989, accused of stealing
money from the apartment. The suspect admitted she was in the victim's
apartment on the Wednesday before the murder, but her reason changed several
times as to why she was there. Other details of the story and the crime
scene led Homicide detectives to resubmit evidence for testing. A blood stain
found on a washcloth in the crime scene contained the DNA profile of both
Jayne Hays and the suspect. This, along with other evidence, was turned over
to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office in June of 2005.
On September 1, 2005, a Bexar County Grand Jury indicted Marie Reilly,
WF 10/21/28 (the maid), charging her with murder. On July 22, 2006, Reilly
was convicted with murder and sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of
corrections. |
Case No91/376309
Murder of MICHAEL WHITE
July 19, 1991,
825 Ave B |
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SYNOPSIS: On July 19, 1991, the body of a "John Doe" was found in the yard
of a house on Avenue B. The body was later identified as Michael White,
who was 33 years old at the time of his death. White had
been shot multiple times. |
CASE SOLVED: In September of 2001, investigators from the
Bexar County DA's Office, Harris County DA's Office, and SAPD Detective
George Saidler interviewed Angel Resendiz (the "Railroad Killer") at the
Harris County Jail. During this interview, Resendiz gave a recorded
confession to three homicides in San Antonio between the years 1986 and 1991.
As a result of this confession, the Bexar County Sheriff's Department
was able to immediatly identify one of the murders attributed to Resendiz
and clear that case. The remaining two murders remained unsolved but
not forgotten.
In 2006, SAPD Det. George Saidler was able to identify one of the murders as that
of Michael White, on July 19, 1991. The identification was made by comparing a
rough hand-drawn map of the crime scene
made by Resendiz with newly computerized and mapped homicide
data.
Information provided by Resendiz concerning the murder weapon and how the
crime was committed matched the details of the White case. As a result,
Resendiz has been positively identified as the killer of Mr. White, and
the case is condsidered cleared.
Angel Resendiz is currently on death row at TDJC.
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Case No92/007581
Murder of MARK McFAUL
January 4, 1992,
7551 Callaghan |

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SYNOPSIS: On January 4, 1992, car salesman Mark McFaul was found lying next
to his car in the parking lot of an office complex in the 7200 block
of Marbach Rd. McFaul had been shot to death and was found by a security guard. |
CASE SOLVED: SAPD Homicide detectives received their
first break in
this case ten years later, through a tip from a prison informant.
(A TDCJ Crime Stoppers
"Behind the Walls" tip.) The informant
was later fitted with a wire, and recorded information from the suspect
concerning the case while back in prison.
The recorded information resulted in SAPD detectives solving
two cold case murders, and the informant was later involved
a third case being solved.
In 2002, SAPD Detective Saidler filed on
Joe Louis Cuellar (LM 11/22/67) for the Murder of
of Mark McFaul and the August 24, 1992 Capital
Murder of Samuel Evans (see below). In 2005 Cuellar was found Guilty and
sentenced to 60 years. He is presently in TDC.
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Case No92/527267
Murder of SAMUEL EVANS
August 24, 1992,
5757 Loop 410 NW |
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SYNOPSIS: On August 24, 1992, Samuel Evans was shot and killed
while using an ATM machine at Security Service Federal Credit Union
on NW Loop 410. |
CASE SOLVED: A tip from a prison informant led
SAPD detectives to the identity of the suspect in this case
and in the murder of Mark McFaul (discussed above).
In 2002, Joe Louis Cuellar (LM 11/22/67) was charged
with the January 4, 1992, Murder of Mark McFaul
and with the Capital
Murder of Samuel Evans. In 2005 Cuellar was found Guilty and
sentenced to 60 years. He is presently in TDC.
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Case No94/092061
Murder of Susan Verstegen
February 19, 1994,
7893 Grissom Road
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SYNOPSIS: Susan Verstegen's body was found
behind Prince of Peace Catholic Church at 7893 Grissom Road
on February 19, 1994. A Frito-Lay saleswoman,
Verstagen was last seen working behind the
H.E.B. Supermarket at 9255 Grissom Road about 3:50 in the
morning. Her car, a dark green 1991 Pontiac Firebird, was
later found in the parking lot of the apartments at
8900 Timberwilde Drive. Verstagen had been raped and strangled, and
her body stuffed in a 55-gallon drum.
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CASE SOLVED: On February 11, 2002, SAPD Homicide
Detective George Saidler filed Capital Murder charges
on Rodrigo Rodriguez Hernandez, (LM DOB 6/27/73) for the murder of Susan Verstagen.
A warrant was issued in September 2002, and the suspect was arrested
in November 2002. SAPD detectives were led to Hernandez through a CODIS DNA
match, after Hernendez was required by a new Michigan law
to provide a DNA sample as a condition of
release from a Michigan prison. The DNA sample was submitted to the national
DNA database CODIS, where SAPD detectives had previously deposited DNA from
the Verstagen murder.
Rodrigo Rodriguez was tried and convicted of Capital Murder
in 2004, and was sentenced to Death.
He is presently on Death Row in Huntsville, TX.
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Case No94/720873-01/02
Murder of SARAH GONZALES and PRISCILLA ALMAREZ
December 17, 1994,
6500 Keitha |

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SYNOPSIS: On the morning of December 17, 1994, the
bodies of 13 year-old Sarah Gonzales and 12 year-old
Priscilla Almares were found on the side of the roadway
in the 6500 block of Keitha Blvd., near Rodriguez Park.
According to family members, the last time the two girls
were seen alive was when they left a friend's house on
Altitude around 4:30 pm, on Friday evening, December 16,
1994. When the bodies were found the next morning, both
were victims of apparent homicide by strangulation. Police
believe the girls were killed somewhere else and dumped
at the Keitha Blvd. location. |
CASE SOLVED: On July 23, 2001, SAPD Detective Saidler
filed Capital
Murder charges on Ramon Hernandez (LM DOB 11/8/71), who had been arrested
in April 2001 for another murder: the March 31, 2001
murder by strangulation of 37-year-old Rosa Rosado at 2015 Culebra. While
Hernandez was in prison for that murder, a DNA
match in CODIS linked him to the murders of both Almares and
Gonzales.
Ramon Hernandez was convicted of Capital Murder
in October, 2002, and sentenced to Death. He is
currently on Death Row at Huntsville, TX.
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Case No95/035484
Murder of ELIAS DOMINGUEZ
January 19, 1995,
727 Matthews |
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SYNOPSIS: Elias Dominguez was found in the doorway of his
residence, shot to death. It was later learned, from the confession
of the accused killer, that Dominguez was shot during a drug deal. |
CASE SOLVED: During interviews with the informant in the
McFaul and Evans murders, discussed previously, SAPD Detective George Saidler
became suspicious of the informant's involvement in the Dominguez
murder. After being confronted with these suspicions, the informant,
Jesse Hawkins Morales (LM 11/21/61) confessed to the murder
of Elias Dominguez, and in 2003 Det. Saidler filed charges on
Morales for Dominguez's Murder.
In 2005, Morales was found Guilty of Murder and was sentenced to
25 years in TDC.
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Case No96/729426-01
Murder of ERIC ANDERSON and CHRISTIAN MALDONADO
December 1, 1996,
Pipers Lane |
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SYNOPSIS: On December 1, 1996, the bodies of two Holmes High School students were
discovered in a field known as the "Devis's Den", behind the Piper's Creek
Subdivision on the city's northwest side. The two students, Eric Anderson
and Christian Maldonado, had been missing since November 12, 1996.
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CASE SOLVED: In February, 1999, a tip to the SAPD Homicide
Unit led Detective Ernie Tavitas to file a Murder case on
the suspect, Roger Yanez Martinez (LM DOB 01-02-1979).
Martinez was brought to trial, and in August, 2000, he pled
Guilty to both murders. He was given two LIFE sentences,
and is presently in TDC. |
Case No97/119617
Murder of JORGE RUVALCABA and CESAR BLAKE
February 28, 1997,
4606 S. Zarzamora |
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SYNOPSIS: Both Jorge Ruvalcaba and Cesar Blake were shot and
killed while sitting in a car
outside Ruvalcaba's daughter's wedding reception. |
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CASE SOLVED: In 2000, SAPD Homicide Detective Saidler filed
Murder charges on two men for the Murders of Jorge Ruvalcaba and
Cesar Blake. Suspects Jose Abel Rodriguez (LM 9/13/1970), who was
identified as the shooter, and Hugo Villarreal
(LM 10/24/1966), identified as the person who hired Rodriguez to
shoot Ruvacalaba, were both tried in Federal Court and received LIFE
sentences. Rodriguez is presently in Federal Prison in Beaumont.
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Case No00/113136
Murder of PEDRO PADRON
July 29, 1999,
West Ave |
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SYNOPSIS: Pedro Padron was kidnapped while washing his car on
West Ave, on July 29, 1999. On February 1, 2000, his body was
found in Hidalgo County. Padron had been shot to death. |
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CASE SOLVED: In 2001, an informant revealed information to
Homicide Det. George Saidler that implicated a member of the Hermanos
Pistoleros Latinos in the murder of Pedro Padron. Det. Saidler tracked down
witnesses to the incident, and brought the suspect, Bruce Medina (LM 07-30-78),
in for questioning. When confronted with the information that Det. Saidler
had, Medina confessed to killing Padron. In June of 2001 Det. Saidler filed
Capital Murder charges on Bruce Medina and on a second suspect, Ricardo
Sanchez (LM 05-09-69). Medina was sentenced to LIFE in prison, and Sanchez
was sentenced to 40 years.
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Case No00/076453
Murder of PRISCILLA NERIO
February 6, 2000,
3135 Roosevelt |
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SYNOPSIS: On February 6, 2000, 22-year old Priscilla Nerio was found
dead in the bathtub of her home. The water was running and she
was fully clothed. At the time of her death, Nerio was the mother
of two children and pregnant with her third child. The Medical Examiner ruled the
death as a strangulation drowning. Over the years, several leads were
developed and suspects investigated, but with no arrest.
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CASE SOLVED: In December of 2003, SAPD Homicide
Cold Case Detectives
received information that CODIS had made a DNA hit on this case, and had
identified Theodore Edward Salinas (DOB 8/6/1980) as a suspect.
In January 2004, Detectives George
Saidler and Robert Moffitt confronted Salinas with this new information and
obtained a written statement from him concerning his involvement in the
murder of Priscilla Nerio.
On August 28, 2006, a jury convicted Theodore
Salinas for the murder of Priscilla Nerio, and the jury assessed him a
Life Sentence. |
Case No00/425827
Murder of ALFONSO CHAVARRIA
July 6, 2000,
1350 Rilling Road |
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SYNOPSIS: Alfonso Chavarria was found shot to death on July
6, 2000, outside a mobile home on Rilling Road. The mobile home
was located inside a vehicle salvage yard, and the killing was
witnessed by two girls, ages 12 and 13. |
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CASE SOLVED: On September 25, 2000, Roberto Lopez
(LM 5-17-71) was arrested and charged with the Murder of Alfonso
Chavarria. Det. Saidler obtained information leading to Lopez's arrest
during the investigation of the 1997 murders of Jorge Ruvalcaba and
Cesar Blake (discussed above). Lopez was a hit man for Hugo Villarreal,
convicted in the Ruvalcaba and Blake case. Roberto Lopez was sentenced
in Federal Court to LIFE in prison.
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Case No01/862040
Murder of ERNESTO GUTIERREZ
December 26, 2001,
2303 Goliad |
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SYNOPSIS: On Wednesday, December 26, 2001, 32-year-old Ernest Gutierrez was
shot at the Marigold Apartments, located at 2303 Goliad. Ernest had
gone there with friends to pick up some Christmas gifts from a friend.
Upon arrival Ernest walked to the apartment by himself, while the
friends waited in the car. Minutes later Gutierrez staggered out
of the apartment. He had been shot. Gutierrez was transported to an
area hospital, where he later died as a result of his injuries.
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CASE SOLVED: In 2004, SAPD Homicide Detective
Timm Angell interviewed
a possible suspect in this case, who led him to a second suspect,
who was arrested
in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma suspect, Alejandro Valencia (LM 12-26-76)
confessed to shooting Ernesto Gutierrez in a scuffle inside the apartment,
and Valencia implicated as second man, Federico Llamas (LM 2-16-78), as
also in the apartment and involved in the shooting. Lamas was arrested
in Minnesota. When interviewed,
Lamas confessed, but both Valencia and Llamas insisted the shooting was
after a scuffle over a gun and was in self defense. After charges were filed,
the District Attorney determined the case was self defense. Both Valencia
and Llamas were released. |
Murder of NICHOLAS PLAZA
November, 2001,
Location Unknown |
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SYNOPSIS: During November 2001, the family of Nicholas
Plaza, age 5, informed the San Antonio Police Department that Nicholas
had been missing since October. Later investigation produced information
that Nicholas' body had been put into a dumpster during November 2001 by
his mother's boyfriend. Extensive searches of dumpsters and dump sites never produced
a body.
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CASE SOLVED: In July 2002 Cold Case Detective
George Saidler was assigned the
case. In 2005, Saidler obtained a warrant for the mother's boyfriend,
Ruben Zavala, Jr., age 33, who was arrested and charged with causing serious bodily injury to a
child. He had
admitted all along that he had put Nicholas's body in the dumpster. Saidler also
obtained a warrant for Nicholas' mother, Priscilla Plaza,
and she was arrested as well.
In July, 2007, the trial of Ruben Zavala, Jr. concluded with a
guilty verdict and a sentence
of 67 years in prison. Nicholas' mother had pled guilty and was
sentenced to 20 years.
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San Antonio still has many Cold Cases that
remain UNSOLVED. Some of them are featured on the
SAPD COLD CASE web page.
If you have information on any Cold Cases or other
Crimes Against Persons, with regard
to Suspects, Witnesses, or other Individuals who might shed some light
on these criminal cases, please call the San Antonio Police Department
anytime day or night at 210-207-7484, 224-STOP, or 207-7635.
Any and all information is helpful and may crack or solve a very
important case.
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