Arlington Woman’s 2012 Murder Finally Leads to Capital Murder Charge After DNA Breakthrough
For more than 14 years the brutal killing of an Arlington woman went unanswered. Now her family says they can finally breathe again after a North Texas real estate agent was charged with capital murder in the cold case.
,Irasema Chavez was found dead inside her apartment on South Collins Street on January 20, 2012, covered in blood and bearing numerous stab wounds., ,Her body was discovered by a niece who had been dropped off to spend the day there., ,Investigators found no signs of forced entry at the scene, leading them to believe Chavez knew her attacker.,
,At the time no immediate suspects were named, DNA evidence failed to match anyone in existing databases and witnesses were able to provide only limited information., The case went cold for over a decade despite detectives pursuing multiple leads.
The turning point came through cutting edge forensic science. ,In November 2024 the Arlington Police Department Homicide Unit met with the FBI Dallas Field Office to explore whether the case would be a suitable candidate for their Investigative Genetic Genealogy program., ,That program uses unidentified crime scene DNA combined with genealogical research and historical records to identify unknown contributors.,
,By April 2026 the FBI’s investigative genetic genealogy team had identified a potential suspect: Mayra Velasquez., ,In May 2026 detectives obtained a DNA sample from Velasquez’s discarded trash and sent it to a crime lab where results confirmed her DNA matched the blood droplet recovered from the bedroom television stand inside Chavez’s apartment.,
,Arlington police noted that it is common during stabbing attacks for an assailant to inadvertently cut themselves which is how investigators believe Velasquez’s blood was left behind at the scene.,
,Velasquez a real estate agent living in Dallas with her husband and children was arrested without incident in Hurst on July 17 more than 14 years after the killing., ,Public records show she is affiliated with Pure Realtors LLC and her license remains currently active., ,She is being held in the Tarrant County Jail.,
,Velasquez was at one time described as a close friend of Chavez who lived just a few miles from the crime scene., Chavez’s family said they were unaware of any connection to the suspect.
Velasquez’s defense team has pushed back firmly against the charges. Her attorneys argued that her DNA being present in the apartment is not surprising given her friendship with Chavez and stated that DNA alone is not sufficient to prove a murder occurred. The defense also pointed to surveillance footage from the day of the killing that they say appears to show a male leaving the complex. Investigators countered that bloody footprints at the scene were small and consistent with a female or a small male.
,Police have said the motive behind the stabbing remains unclear., ,Authorities have publicly stated only that the capital murder allegation involves the killing occurring during the commission or attempted commission of a robbery.,
Chavez’s sisters speaking from Nuevo León Mexico said the arrest has given them hope that their loved one will finally receive justice after so many years of silence and unanswered questions.