LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – Earlier today, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Rangers, in collaboration with the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, executed an arrest warrant for Saul Gonzalez, 66, a resident of San Antonio, Texas, at the Eagle Ford Crossing in Cotulla. On August 29, 2025, a La Salle County grand jury indicted Gonzalez for capital murder connected to a 2005 cold case.
On July 19, 2005, Valerie Laguna was found deceased at the Cristo Rey Cemetery in Cotulla, Texas. Laguna appeared to have been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled. She was approximately eight months pregnant at the time of her death. Laguna’s unborn baby also died.
The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Texas Rangers, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, DPS Crime Laboratory, and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, assisted in the investigation. Numerous witnesses were interviewed, and DNA samples were collected from multiple individuals and Gonzalez was eventually identified as a possible suspect. Still there were no major breaks in the case.
Then in 2020, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office submitted multiple pieces of evidence to BODE Technology. DNA profiles were obtained from the evidentiary items.
In 2021, Laguna’s case was identified by the Texas Rangers as being eligible for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program which is funded by the Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ/BJA). DOJ/BJA provides investigative funding for agencies across the United States to further unsolved sexual assaults and sexually related homicides with the hope of bringing justice to victims and their families.
In 2023, BODE Technology conducted additional analysis of previously submitted evidence and new evidence. DNA comparisons lead to the discovery of Gonzalez’ DNA on evidentiary items.
Gonzalez has now been charged with capital murder and is being held in the La Salle County Jail.
The La Salle Sheriff’s Office provided a comment regarding the arrest.
“For twenty years, this community has carried the memory of a terrible loss,” said Sheriff Hector Ramirez. “This arrest represents a significant step toward justice. More importantly, it represents a moment for healing—for the victim’s family, who have waited so long, and for a community that has never forgotten.”
Sheriff Ramirez noted that while details of the case remain limited due to the pending prosecution, the long-awaited breakthrough is the result of tireless work spanning multiple administrations. Past sheriffs, former investigators, and current investigators all refused to let the case go cold. Their efforts—alongside never-wavering support and dedication from the Texas Rangers—ensured that the pursuit of justice never stopped. We thank all agencies involved, the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, and The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.
“This case has always been about more than just solving a crime,” Sheriff Ramirez said. “It has been about giving a voice to the victim, honoring her memory, and providing hope to her family. We know that nothing can erase the pain of the past, but we pray that this step forward brings comfort as we now move into the prosecution phase.”
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