Attorney for woman charged in 2012 Arlington cold case murder seeks bond hearing

July 27, 2026 / 10:38 PM CDT / CBS Texas. [CBS DFW]

A North Texas real estate professional accused of killing a woman in 2012 walked free from custody this week after posting bail, marking a significant development in a case that remained unsolved for more than a decade.

Mayra Velasquez posted a $450,000 bond Wednesday and was released from the Tarrant County Jail. As conditions of her release, she must wear an electronic monitoring device and stay within Dallas and Tarrant county boundaries while the case proceeds through the court system. Velasquez faces capital murder charges stemming from the death of Irasema Chavez, whom investigators described as an acquaintance.

The victim was discovered in her Arlington residence near South Collins Street and East Timber View Lane in 2012, having sustained more than 100 stab wounds. For years, the slaying went unsolved despite security footage captured on the night before the killing showing an unidentified figure in loose-fitting attire entering Chavez's unit. Investigators arrested Velasquez on July 16 after developing new leads through advanced DNA analysis techniques.

Authorities said they connected Velasquez to the scene through multiple pieces of evidence, including genetic material recovered from a blood sample discovered at the location. Investigators also obtained biological material from a discarded eating utensil retrieved from Velasquez's residence. Police stated they have identified their suspect and are not pursuing other leads.

Velasquez's legal team disputes the investigative conclusions, contending that authorities moved hastily in their analysis. Her attorney, Frank Seller, questioned the integrity of key evidence, particularly a purportedly fresh blood droplet discovered at the scene hours after the killing. "Blood dries within minutes, certainly within an hour. And the fact that over 10 hours later they're saying that there is a glistening drop of blood that's still wet, that tells us right away that I'm not even convinced it's blood," Seller said. He also suggested the security video shows a male figure, not his client. Seller added that his client expressed shock upon learning the charges carried capital murder designations, particularly regarding the theft allegation involved in the case.

Investigators have not publicly disclosed a potential motive for the alleged offense. The case was revived using investigative genetic genealogy, a forensic method developed by Parabon NanoLabs using DNA extracted from the crime scene. The breakthrough represents one of several cold case resolutions announced across North Texas in recent weeks utilizing similar genetic investigative methods.