Arrest Made In 42 Year Old Texas Cold Case Murder

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In June of 1981 the body of a teenage woman was found along IH-35. According to an autopsy, the victim had died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head. At the time, authorities could not positively I.D. the woman and she was buried as a Jane Doe according to Texas DPS.

In May of 2008, the Texas Rangers began reviewing the case and discovered that a Carol Joyce Deleon had been reported missing, but years later in 2007. According to a press release from Texas DPS, Deleon had lived in San Antonio in 1981 but at the time the police did not file a missing person's report because she was 18 and foul play wasn't expected. It wasn't until a younger sister in 2007 filed a missing person's report did things start to come together for authorities.

According to NewsChannel6now.com, with DNA advancements and a family wanting answers, authorities were finally able to track down the person they believe killed her.

Texas Rangers met with her family and provided a photo of the Jane Doe. The family recognized her and further family DNA testing confirmed her identity.

The Texas Rangers continued looking into the case with DNA advancements and in 2010 an unknown DNA profile was found and entered into the Combined DNA Index System. At that time, no matches were found, and the case once again stalled due to the lack of leads caused by the 27-year time frame, according to a Texas DPS press release.

In 2020, evidence in the case was subjected to Advanced DNA testing which led to the identity of Larry West.

West was arrested and booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $125,000 bond. An indictment and trial are now pending.

Larry Allen West is 68 years old and was arrested by Texas Rangers on April 13.