Remains of Houston-area teen missing since 2020 identified through advanced DNA testing

SPRING, Texas (KBTX) - Attorney General Ken Paxton's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit has identified the remains of Kristen Galvan, a Houston-area teen who went missing in January 2020 after she was a victim of human trafficking. [KBTX 2]

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit announced the identification of Kristen Galvan, a Houston-area girl who disappeared in January 2020 at age 15 while trafficking victims. Unidentified remains discovered on Jan. 29, 2020, near Missouri City were confirmed to be Galvan through advanced forensic techniques, ending more than six years of uncertainty for her family.

The Missouri City Police Department requested assistance from Paxton's unit in November 2022 regarding the skeletal remains found in early 2020. Initial autopsy and anthropological work indicated the remains belonged to a female between 13 and 18 years old who appeared to be a homicide victim. The deteriorated condition of the remains precluded conventional DNA testing methods, necessitating more sophisticated approaches.

Investigators collaborated with the University of North Texas to develop a mitochondrial DNA profile, which generated preliminary investigative leads. Given that Galvan was a minor at the time of her disappearance, the Attorney General's unit brought in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as a partner. The Doe Network, a volunteer organization that maintains databases of unidentified remains, played a crucial role in connecting available information about Galvan to the discovered remains.

Over the following year, the combined effort relied on cutting-edge forensic genetic genealogy work performed by Bode Technology and Astrea Forensics to establish a positive identification. This advanced investigative tool proved instrumental in solving the case when traditional methods had reached their limits.

"I launched my Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit to secure justice for victims and to provide closure to families whose lives have been forever changed by violent crime," Paxton said. "Right now, I ask every Texan to join me in praying for Kristen Galvan's family during this unimaginably difficult time."

Galvan's relatives released a statement expressing the emotional toll of the years-long search. "For more than six years, we searched for our beautiful daughter, Kristen," the family said. "Through every unanswered question, every lead, every sleepless night, and every heartbreak, we never gave up."

The family added they were grateful to finally bring Galvan home for burial with appropriate dignity, though the identification offered bittersweet closure. "Nothing can erase the pain of losing her or the years that were taken from us, but bringing her home allows us to lay her to rest with the love and dignity she has always deserved," they said.