Texas Man Arrested for 2005 Murder of Pregnant Woman

Saul Gonzalez was indicted for the 2005 murder of pregnant Valeria Laguna after DNA evidence linked him to the cold case.

Handcuffs featured image — Source: Creative Services / iOne Digital

Texas man Saul Gonzalez was indicted for the capital murder of a pregnant woman who was murdered 20 years ago in a cemetery. Saul was linked to a cold case in 2005 thanks to new DNA technology.

Saul was arrested on Friday at the Eagle Ford crossing in Cotulla by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Gonzalez has been connected to the death of Valeria Laguna. According to officials, the body at Cristo Rey Cemetery was found on July 19, 2005. Reports say she appeared to have been sexually assaulted, strangled, and beaten before her death.

Valeria Laguna was eight months pregnant at the time of this tragedy,

Gonzales was always connected to this case, based on witnesses’ interviews and the DNA technology they had at the time, but nothing major was ever discovered in the initial years of the investigation.

2020 is when things began shifting. Evidence was submitted to BODE technology, allowing them to obtain DNA profiles from their tech.

There’s a program with specific funding for unsolved sexual assault homicides. In 2021, Valeria Lagunas’ murder became eligible for that program.

BODE technology found Gonzales’ DNA on evidence items in 2023. Gonzales was arrested and indicted by a grand jury on a capital murder charge on the same day. Gonzales remained booked in La Salle County Jail on a $1 million bond.

SEE ALSO