Johnny Avalos
San Antonio Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
San Antonio, Texas
TIME PERIOD
2012-2015
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
Johnny Joe Avalos, an American serial killer and rapist, committed a series of murders in San Antonio, Texas, between 2012 and 2015, targeting five female victims, including a 15-year-old girl. The crimes involved strangulation, often using his hands or plastic bags, with the first known victim, Vanessa Lopez, found in October 2012. Avalos was apprehended on April 12, 2015, after DNA evidence linked him to the murders, and he subsequently pleaded guilty in 2018, receiving two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. Significant evidence includes DNA matches from crime scenes and the modus operandi that connected the victims, although Avalos claimed additional victims without corroborating evidence. He is currently incarcerated at the Preston E. Smith Unit.
Johnny Avalos is believed to have targeted vulnerable women, particularly sex workers, during his crime spree in San Antonio. There is speculation that he may have had more victims than the five confirmed murders, as he claimed that at least 20 other women escaped from him. Some theories suggest that his history of previous arrests and his intellectual disability could have influenced his criminal behavior and choice of victims.
The San Antonio Strangler: The Chilling Crimes of Johnny Joe Avalos
Johnny Joe Avalos, known ominously as "The San Antonio Strangler," left an indelible mark on the city of San Antonio, Texas, through a series of heinous acts that spanned from 2012 to 2015. Born on December 1, 1986, Avalos was an intellectually disabled man who lived his life largely in the shadows of San Antonio's South Side. Before his reign of terror, Avalos had several brushes with the law, including arrests for making terroristic threats, criminal mischief, and possession of a controlled substance. By day, he worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant near downtown. By night, however, he prowled the streets, targeting vulnerable women, mostly sex workers.
A Dark Modus Operandi
Between 2012 and 2015, Avalos raped and strangled five females, leaving a trail of fear and death in his wake. His method was both brutal and personal: he would strangle his victims with his hands and, in some cases, use plastic bags to ensure they could not escape. Avalos later boasted that he had targeted at least 20 other women who managed to escape his clutches, though no evidence has corroborated these claims.
The first known victim was 25-year-old Vanessa Lopez. In early October 2012, Avalos ended her life by strangulation. Her body was later discovered floating in the San Antonio River's Mission Reach, a grim addition to a series of six suspicious deaths in Bexar County over six months. Despite public speculation about a serial killer, the Police Chief dismissed such theories due to a lack of evidence, and the Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled the deaths, including Lopez's, as undetermined.
A String of Tragedies
The horror continued on December 18, 2014, when Avalos raped and murdered 15-year-old runaway Natalie Chavez. Her naked body was found beneath the Vera Cruz Street bridge over Apache Creek. A passerby discovered her the next morning, and investigators quickly deemed her death a homicide due to the signs of a struggle and the DNA evidence left at the scene. However, it wasn't until April 2015 that this DNA led back to Avalos.
Avalos struck again around January 10, 2015, when he strangled 28-year-old Rosemary Perez to death. Her body, wrapped in a sheet, was discovered two days later on a sidewalk along San Fernando. On April 4, 2015, Avalos attacked 46-year-old Genevieve Ramirez, beating and strangling her. Found in a grassy alley, Ramirez was naked from the waist down and severely bruised. Despite medical intervention, she succumbed to her injuries two months later.
His final known victim, 29-year-old Celia Lopez, was found on April 15, 2015. Her decomposing body was located in the 4400 block of South Presa, showing signs of head and facial trauma. Near her body, investigators discovered men's underwear that bore Avalos' DNA.
The Arrest and Trial
Johnny Avalos' downfall began on April 12, 2015, when he was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor, the same crime that would later tie him to Natalie Chavez's murder. During interrogations, Avalos initially claimed he paid Chavez for sex and was unaware of her age—a claim that was later proven false when he admitted knowing she was a minor.
Gradually, as investigators pieced together more evidence, Avalos was charged with the murders of Chavez, Perez, Ramirez, and Celia Lopez. Although he wasn't initially charged with Vanessa Lopez's murder, he was linked to it the following year. On November 29, 2016, Avalos faced indictment on capital murder charges. Due to his intellectual disability, he was spared the death penalty. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to all five murders, receiving two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. The plea deal required him to acknowledge his guilt in each case, effectively closing the chapter on his terrifying spree.
Today, Johnny Joe Avalos serves his sentence at the Preston E. Smith Unit in Lamesa, Texas, leaving behind a legacy of violence that forever altered the lives of his victims' families and the broader San Antonio community.
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First Murder Committed
Johnny Avalos murders 25-year-old Vanessa Lopez, whose body is later found in the San Antonio River.
Teenager Murdered
Avalos rapes and strangles 15-year-old Natalie Chavez, dumping her body under a bridge.
Another Victim Found
Avalos strangles 28-year-old Rosemary Perez; her body is discovered wrapped in a sheet.
46-Year-Old Strangled
Avalos beats and strangles Genevieve Ramirez, who dies two months later from her injuries.
Final Victim Discovered
The body of 29-year-old Celia Lopez is found, leading to further investigation.
Arrest Made
Johnny Avalos is arrested for sexually assaulting a minor, linked to the murder of Natalie Chavez.
Indictment on Murder Charges
Avalos is indicted on capital murder charges for the deaths of four women.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Johnny Avalos pleads guilty to five murders and receives two life sentences without parole.
Johnny Joe Avalos, an American serial killer and rapist, committed a series of murders in San Antonio, Texas, between 2012 and 2015, targeting five female victims, including a 15-year-old girl. The crimes involved strangulation, often using his hands or plastic bags, with the first known victim, Vanessa Lopez, found in October 2012. Avalos was apprehended on April 12, 2015, after DNA evidence linked him to the murders, and he subsequently pleaded guilty in 2018, receiving two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. Significant evidence includes DNA matches from crime scenes and the modus operandi that connected the victims, although Avalos claimed additional victims without corroborating evidence. He is currently incarcerated at the Preston E. Smith Unit.
Johnny Avalos is believed to have targeted vulnerable women, particularly sex workers, during his crime spree in San Antonio. There is speculation that he may have had more victims than the five confirmed murders, as he claimed that at least 20 other women escaped from him. Some theories suggest that his history of previous arrests and his intellectual disability could have influenced his criminal behavior and choice of victims.
The San Antonio Strangler: The Chilling Crimes of Johnny Joe Avalos
Johnny Joe Avalos, known ominously as "The San Antonio Strangler," left an indelible mark on the city of San Antonio, Texas, through a series of heinous acts that spanned from 2012 to 2015. Born on December 1, 1986, Avalos was an intellectually disabled man who lived his life largely in the shadows of San Antonio's South Side. Before his reign of terror, Avalos had several brushes with the law, including arrests for making terroristic threats, criminal mischief, and possession of a controlled substance. By day, he worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant near downtown. By night, however, he prowled the streets, targeting vulnerable women, mostly sex workers.
A Dark Modus Operandi
Between 2012 and 2015, Avalos raped and strangled five females, leaving a trail of fear and death in his wake. His method was both brutal and personal: he would strangle his victims with his hands and, in some cases, use plastic bags to ensure they could not escape. Avalos later boasted that he had targeted at least 20 other women who managed to escape his clutches, though no evidence has corroborated these claims.
The first known victim was 25-year-old Vanessa Lopez. In early October 2012, Avalos ended her life by strangulation. Her body was later discovered floating in the San Antonio River's Mission Reach, a grim addition to a series of six suspicious deaths in Bexar County over six months. Despite public speculation about a serial killer, the Police Chief dismissed such theories due to a lack of evidence, and the Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled the deaths, including Lopez's, as undetermined.
A String of Tragedies
The horror continued on December 18, 2014, when Avalos raped and murdered 15-year-old runaway Natalie Chavez. Her naked body was found beneath the Vera Cruz Street bridge over Apache Creek. A passerby discovered her the next morning, and investigators quickly deemed her death a homicide due to the signs of a struggle and the DNA evidence left at the scene. However, it wasn't until April 2015 that this DNA led back to Avalos.
Avalos struck again around January 10, 2015, when he strangled 28-year-old Rosemary Perez to death. Her body, wrapped in a sheet, was discovered two days later on a sidewalk along San Fernando. On April 4, 2015, Avalos attacked 46-year-old Genevieve Ramirez, beating and strangling her. Found in a grassy alley, Ramirez was naked from the waist down and severely bruised. Despite medical intervention, she succumbed to her injuries two months later.
His final known victim, 29-year-old Celia Lopez, was found on April 15, 2015. Her decomposing body was located in the 4400 block of South Presa, showing signs of head and facial trauma. Near her body, investigators discovered men's underwear that bore Avalos' DNA.
The Arrest and Trial
Johnny Avalos' downfall began on April 12, 2015, when he was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor, the same crime that would later tie him to Natalie Chavez's murder. During interrogations, Avalos initially claimed he paid Chavez for sex and was unaware of her age—a claim that was later proven false when he admitted knowing she was a minor.
Gradually, as investigators pieced together more evidence, Avalos was charged with the murders of Chavez, Perez, Ramirez, and Celia Lopez. Although he wasn't initially charged with Vanessa Lopez's murder, he was linked to it the following year. On November 29, 2016, Avalos faced indictment on capital murder charges. Due to his intellectual disability, he was spared the death penalty. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to all five murders, receiving two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. The plea deal required him to acknowledge his guilt in each case, effectively closing the chapter on his terrifying spree.
Today, Johnny Joe Avalos serves his sentence at the Preston E. Smith Unit in Lamesa, Texas, leaving behind a legacy of violence that forever altered the lives of his victims' families and the broader San Antonio community.
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
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First Murder Committed
Johnny Avalos murders 25-year-old Vanessa Lopez, whose body is later found in the San Antonio River.
Teenager Murdered
Avalos rapes and strangles 15-year-old Natalie Chavez, dumping her body under a bridge.
Another Victim Found
Avalos strangles 28-year-old Rosemary Perez; her body is discovered wrapped in a sheet.
46-Year-Old Strangled
Avalos beats and strangles Genevieve Ramirez, who dies two months later from her injuries.
Final Victim Discovered
The body of 29-year-old Celia Lopez is found, leading to further investigation.
Arrest Made
Johnny Avalos is arrested for sexually assaulting a minor, linked to the murder of Natalie Chavez.
Indictment on Murder Charges
Avalos is indicted on capital murder charges for the deaths of four women.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Johnny Avalos pleads guilty to five murders and receives two life sentences without parole.