Texas man charged in 1993 teen homicide cold case
COMAL COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Texas man has been charged in the 1993 killing of a San Antonio teenager, according to law enforcement officials.
Emily Jeanette Garcia was staying with some friends in northeastern San Antonio and was known to hang out with friends in Canyon Lake.
The 15-year-old's nude body was found in Comal County on Feb. 25, 1993. The body was found near Cranes Mill Road in Canyon Lake. An autopsy found that she died from asphyxia after being strangled, and evidence showed she had been sexually assaulted.
It wasn't until 1994 that her body was identified by a family member, who saw a local news report.
Thomas Ray Galindo, who was 21 years old at the time, was "acquaintances" with the teenager, according to the press release.
The case went cold for almost two decades until 2017 when the sheriff’s office renewed the investigation. In 2021, the sheriff's office requested the help of the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program.
Previous investigations had multiple of Emily's friends, including Galindo. The Ranger and sheriff’s detective working on the investigation re-interviewed numerous people, revealing new information.
The new information led to the arrest of Galindo, who is now 50 years old. He was arrested on Sept. 10, 2021, at his house in Brazoria, Texas by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force.
Galindo was transferred to Comal County, where the crime happened and is being held under a $100,000 bond.