A man from Texas will spend his life in prison after fatally shooting his sleeping girlfriend before heading back to his other family, according to prosecutors.
On May 14, Juan Manuel Yanez received a life sentence for the 2025 murder of 43-year-old Victoria Valadez, as announced by The Office of Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins. The 49-year-old admitted to the crime on May 6.
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Jon English stated, “This sentence reflects the severity of what transpired in that apartment: a life was lost, a family was shattered, and a community was shaken. Justice demanded a punishment fitting the seriousness of the crime.”
Juan Manuel Yanez Called 911 After Killing Girlfriend Victoria Valadez
Prosecutors revealed that Yanez dialed 911 on February 7, 2025, claiming he had “just shot his wife.” Although they were not legally wed, Yanez and Valadez were romantically involved for several months, authorities reported.
Following the call, the San Marcos Police Department traced it to an apartment on River Road, where they found Valadez deceased with a gunshot wound to her head, as noted in the statement.
“Investigators found no sign of a struggle,” prosecutors said, “and the evidence supported the conclusion that she may have been asleep when she was killed.”
As investigators tried to piece the crime together, they uncovered surveillance footage from a nearby 7-Eleven that showed Yanez arriving at the store in Valadez’s truck about 20 minutes before the 911 call was made, according to the statement. He was seen purchasing four beers and then driving toward the apartment. Investigators found all four beers still cold at the scene—two of which had been opened. They also discovered Yanez’s wallet on a nightstand.
“After the 9-1-1 call, Yanez disposed of the murder weapon, which was never recovered, and fled to Houston, where he maintained a residence and a separate family,” prosecutors said. “Harris County authorities apprehended Yanez in the vicinity of his Houston residence after a brief manhunt.”
Forensic testing showed that Valadez’s blood was on Yanez’s clothing and jewelry and he also tested positive for gunshot residue, authorities said.
“When officers recovered Yanez’s cellphone, they discovered its SIM card had been physically removed before the phone was collected by police, which investigators said indicated an attempt to inhibit efforts to track Yanez as he fled,” prosecutors said. “Despite extensive forensic examination of digital evidence in the case, investigators were never able to determine a motive for the murder.”
Yanez—who received the maximum punishment possible under the law—will be required to serve at least 30 years before he’ll be eligible for parole.
“The family showed extraordinary courage throughout this case and through the sentencing hearing,” Assistant Criminal District Attorney Abigail Whitaker said after the sentence, per the statement. “Their strength ensured the court saw not only the facts of the murder, but also the true cost to the victim’s family and the community as a whole.”
This story was updated on May 18 for accuracy.