Trill Clinton
04-22-2015, 12:09 PM
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SAN ANTONIO — A person of interest in the death of a teen found naked and strangled beneath a West Side bridge in December has been arrested.
Johnny Avalos, 28, faces a charge of sexual assault of a child, according to San Antonio Police Department spokesman Sgt. Javier Salazar.
Salazar said detectives investigating the death of 15-year-old Natalie Chavez, whose body was found under a bridge at Apache Creek and Vera Cruz Street around 10 a.m. on Dec. 18, were able to develop enough information to pick Avalos up Thursday night for questioning.
San Antonio Police Department spokesman Officer Douglas Greene said Chavez's body showed signs of a struggle.
Days after the incident, the Bexar County Medical Examiner reported Chavez had died from asphyxia.
While Avalos is only facing sexual assault charges at this time, Salazar said he remains a person of interest Chavez’s death as well.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, authorities found foreign DNA on Chavez's body during a forensic examination.
That DNA was determined to be from Avalos, the document said, adding that he admitted to having sex with the teen for a predetermined amount of money.
Additionally, Avalos is considered a person of interest in the death of a woman found on South Presa Street.
Avalos is also suspected of involvement in a third incident that left a woman with critical injuries on the South Side.
Anyone that has any information linking Avalos to any other incident is asked to call SAPD’s Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP.
SAN ANTONIO — A person of interest in the death of a teen found naked and strangled beneath a West Side bridge in December has been arrested.
Johnny Avalos, 28, faces a charge of sexual assault of a child, according to San Antonio Police Department spokesman Sgt. Javier Salazar.
Salazar said detectives investigating the death of 15-year-old Natalie Chavez, whose body was found under a bridge at Apache Creek and Vera Cruz Street around 10 a.m. on Dec. 18, were able to develop enough information to pick Avalos up Thursday night for questioning.
San Antonio Police Department spokesman Officer Douglas Greene said Chavez's body showed signs of a struggle.
Days after the incident, the Bexar County Medical Examiner reported Chavez had died from asphyxia.
While Avalos is only facing sexual assault charges at this time, Salazar said he remains a person of interest Chavez’s death as well.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, authorities found foreign DNA on Chavez's body during a forensic examination.
That DNA was determined to be from Avalos, the document said, adding that he admitted to having sex with the teen for a predetermined amount of money.
Additionally, Avalos is considered a person of interest in the death of a woman found on South Presa Street.
Avalos is also suspected of involvement in a third incident that left a woman with critical injuries on the South Side.
Anyone that has any information linking Avalos to any other incident is asked to call SAPD’s Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP.