Blood evidence sat in storage for decades before DNA technology caught up to the case. When it finally did, it pointed to someone inside the family.
The Murder
In 1986, Barbara Villareal was fatally stabbed multiple times inside a residence in Garland, Texas. Detectives at the time collected blood evidence believed to belong to the perpetrator and ruled out Villareal's husband as a suspect, but the case went cold for decades without an identified perpetrator.
The DNA Breakthrough
Using advanced DNA testing technology, Garland investigators eventually connected the decades-old blood evidence to a close relative of Villareal's husband. That lead pointed them to Liborio Canales, her brother-in-law.
The Arrest
Investigators located Canales, then 85 years old, living in New Mexico. When questioned, he confessed to the killing, telling detectives the motive stemmed from a family dispute with Villareal. He was held in New Mexico on a $1 million bond pending extradition to Dallas County.
FAQ
How was the case finally solved?
Advanced DNA testing on decades-old blood evidence linked the crime to a close relative of the victim's husband.
Who was arrested?
Liborio Canales, 85, the victim's brother-in-law, who confessed to the killing during questioning.
What was the motive?
According to Canales, the killing stemmed from a family dispute with Villareal.