More than 14 years after Irasema Chavez was found stabbed roughly 100 times in her Arlington, Texas apartment, a real estate agent has been charged in connection with her death.

Mayra Velasquez, 42, was booked into the Tarrant County Corrections Center on July 17, 2026, facing capital murder charges related to the 2012 killing of 32-year-old Chavez. The stabbing occurred on July 20, 2012, inside Chavez's second-floor apartment in the 2700 block of South Collins Street.

Investigators noted there were no obvious signs of forced entry, suggesting Chavez may have known the attacker or willingly opened the door. Surveillance footage from the night before the murder showed a hooded figure wearing baggy clothing entering Chavez's apartment.

Velasquez's Texas real estate license remained active as of July 20, 2026, and state records list her with Pure Realtors LLC. Reports indicate she posted photos from global vacations prior to her arrest.

Arlington police and the FBI planned to hold a joint news conference on July 21, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. to address the arrest.

Sources