Topline: A Hays County judge imposed a life sentence on Juan Manuel Yanez after prosecutors said he shot Victoria Valadez in her San Marcos apartment and fled to Houston.
Published: June 10, 2026 4:00 pm ET
Randy Shaw
I cut my teeth in journalism when I began looking into what I saw as abuses of power in my local government. From then on, I was hooked on the dopamine rush of uncovering information.
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SAN MARCOS, TX — A Hays County judge has sentenced 49-year-old Juan Manuel Yanez to life in prison for murdering 43-year-old Victoria Valadez inside her San Marcos apartment in February 2025, giving him the maximum punishment allowed under Texas law.
According to the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, District Judge Joe Pool imposed the life sentence on May 14 after Yanez had already pleaded guilty at a May 6 hearing and agreed to let the court determine punishment. Prosecutors said Yanez will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 30 years.
Evidence presented during the punishment hearing showed that on Feb. 7, 2025, Yanez called 911 and told the operator he had just shot his wife. Prosecutors said Yanez and Valadez were not legally married, but had been romantically involved for several months leading up to the shooting. San Marcos police traced the call to an apartment on River Road, where officers found a woman dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators said there were no signs of a struggle and that the evidence supported the conclusion that she may have been asleep when she was killed.
Prosecutors said surveillance video from a nearby 7-Eleven taken about 20 minutes before the 911 call showed Yanez arriving in the victim’s truck, buying four beers and driving toward the apartment. At the scene, investigators found the beers, two of them opened and all four still cold, along with Yanez’s wallet on the victim’s nightstand.
After the 911 call, prosecutors said Yanez disposed of the murder weapon, which was never recovered, and fled to Houston, where he maintained a residence and a separate family. Harris County authorities captured him near his Houston home after a brief manhunt.
Forensic testing later found the victim’s blood on clothing and jewelry collected from Yanez, as well as gunshot residue. Investigators also discovered that the SIM card had been physically removed from Yanez’s cellphone before police recovered it, which prosecutors said showed an effort to make tracking him more difficult as he fled. Despite an extensive forensic review of the digital evidence, authorities said they were never able to determine a motive for the killing.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Jon English and Abigail Whitaker prosecuted the case. Prosecutors said the investigation was led by San Marcos Police detectives Logan Murphy and Chris Marroquin.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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A Fatal Apartment Shooting With No Clear Explanation Has Ended in a Life Sentence for the Man Who Called 911
A Hays County judge imposed a life sentence on Juan Manuel Yanez after prosecutors said he shot Victoria Valadez in her San Marcos apartment and fled to Houston.
By Randy Shaw
Published: June 10, 2026 4:00 pm ET
SAN MARCOS, TX — A Hays County judge has sentenced 49-year-old Juan Manuel Yanez to life in prison for murdering 43-year-old Victoria Valadez inside her San Marcos apartment in February 2025, giving him the maximum punishment allowed under Texas law.
According to the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, District Judge Joe Pool imposed the life sentence on May 14 after Yanez had already pleaded guilty at a May 6 hearing and agreed to let the court determine punishment. Prosecutors said Yanez will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 30 years.
Evidence presented during the punishment hearing showed that on Feb. 7, 2025, Yanez called 911 and told the operator he had just shot his wife. Prosecutors said Yanez and Valadez were not legally married, but had been romantically involved for several months leading up to the shooting. San Marcos police traced the call to an apartment on River Road, where officers found a woman dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators said there were no signs of a struggle and that the evidence supported the conclusion that she may have been asleep when she was killed.
Prosecutors said surveillance video from a nearby 7-Eleven taken about 20 minutes before the 911 call showed Yanez arriving in the victim’s truck, buying four beers and driving toward the apartment. At the scene, investigators found the beers, two of them opened and all four still cold, along with Yanez’s wallet on the victim’s nightstand.
After the 911 call, prosecutors said Yanez disposed of the murder weapon, which was never recovered, and fled to Houston, where he maintained a residence and a separate family. Harris County authorities captured him near his Houston home after a brief manhunt.
Forensic testing later found the victim’s blood on clothing and jewelry collected from Yanez, as well as gunshot residue. Investigators also discovered that the SIM card had been physically removed from Yanez’s cellphone before police recovered it, which prosecutors said showed an effort to make tracking him more difficult as he fled. Despite an extensive forensic review of the digital evidence, authorities said they were never able to determine a motive for the killing.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Jon English and Abigail Whitaker prosecuted the case. Prosecutors said the investigation was led by San Marcos Police detectives Logan Murphy and Chris Marroquin.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Latest Articles
A Fatal Apartment Shooting With No Clear Explanation Has Ended in a Life Sentence for the Man Who Called 911
A Hays County judge imposed a life sentence on Juan Manuel Yanez after prosecutors said he shot Victoria Valadez in her San Marcos apartment and fled to Houston.
By Randy Shaw
Published: June 10, 2026 4:00 pm ET
SAN MARCOS, TX — A Hays County judge has sentenced 49-year-old Juan Manuel Yanez to life in prison for murdering 43-year-old Victoria Valadez inside her San Marcos apartment in February 2025, giving him the maximum punishment allowed under Texas law.
According to the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, District Judge Joe Pool imposed the life sentence on May 14 after Yanez had already pleaded guilty at a May 6 hearing and agreed to let the court determine punishment. Prosecutors said Yanez will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 30 years.
Evidence presented during the punishment hearing showed that on Feb. 7, 2025, Yanez called 911 and told the operator he had just shot his wife. Prosecutors said Yanez and Valadez were not legally married, but had been romantically involved for several months leading up to the shooting. San Marcos police traced the call to an apartment on River Road, where officers found a woman dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators said there were no signs of a struggle and that the evidence supported the conclusion that she may have been asleep when she was killed.
Prosecutors said surveillance video from a nearby 7-Eleven taken about 20 minutes before the 911 call showed Yanez arriving in the victim’s truck, buying four beers and driving toward the apartment. At the scene, investigators found the beers, two of them opened and all four still cold, along with Yanez’s wallet on the victim’s nightstand.
After the 911 call, prosecutors said Yanez disposed of the murder weapon, which was never recovered, and fled to Houston, where he maintained a residence and a separate family. Harris County authorities captured him near his Houston home after a brief manhunt.
Forensic testing later found the victim’s blood on clothing and jewelry collected from Yanez, as well as gunshot residue. Investigators also discovered that the SIM card had been physically removed from Yanez’s cellphone before police recovered it, which prosecutors said showed an effort to make tracking him more difficult as he fled. Despite an extensive forensic review of the digital evidence, authorities said they were never able to determine a motive for the killing.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Jon English and Abigail Whitaker prosecuted the case. Prosecutors said the investigation was led by San Marcos Police detectives Logan Murphy and Chris Marroquin.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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