Mayra Velasquez has been arrested and charged with capital murder for the 2012 killing of her friend Irasema Chavez.

Mayra Velasquez, 42, was arrested and charged with capital murder for the 2012 homicide of her friend Irasema Chavez. The Arlington Police Department and the FBI Dallas Field Office announced the arrest on Wednesday after a 14-year investigation. Chavez was found dead in her Texas apartment in January 2012, having been stabbed more than 100 times. While investigators had collected a blood droplet from the scene, the DNA did not initially match any profiles in the local database. The breakthrough occurred in 2024 when the Arlington Police Department partnered with the FBI to utilize investigative genetic genealogy. This process combined crime scene DNA with genealogical research and historical records to identify Velasquez as a potential suspect. Detectives eventually obtained a DNA sample from Velasquez’s discarded trash, which confirmed she was the killer. While the specific motive for the stabbing remains unclear, the arrest provided significant relief to the victim's family. Velasquez, a real estate agent, is currently being held without bond.

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