Man arrested in 2019 death of Bexar County woman

Joey Emiliano Tovar-Vargas was arrested Thursday for the 2019 death of Meagan Gonzales.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest on Thursday. Eddie Gonzales, Meagan’s father, said detectives called him on Saturday to share the news. He described feeling relieved that a suspect had finally been taken into custody after seven years of waiting.

Meagan Gonzales was 20 years old when she was last seen alive on November 11, 2019. Authorities said she was in a vehicle with Tovar-Vargas at the time. She was reported missing four days later. On December 2, 2019, police found her truck near Northwest Loop 410. Blood in the truck bed matched her DNA. The next day, her body was located in the 12000 block of Wisdom Road. Officers described the remains as burned beyond recognition.

Detectives suspected Tovar-Vargas early in the investigation but lacked physical proof to link him to the crime. The case went cold until the sheriff’s office cold case unit reappraised the evidence using modern technology. Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that data from Tovar-Vargas’ cellphone provided the key breakthrough. Records placed him near the locations where Meagan’s belongings were found. The phone also contained searches about how long fingerprints last and how to delete social media accounts.

Photos stored on the phone showed a blanket with a distinct pattern inside Tovar-Vargas’ home before the death. Investigators noted that Meagan’s body was wrapped in a blanket with the same pattern. Witnesses also reported seeing Tovar-Vargas dumping items in the days after she disappeared. Investigators believe he asked a witness for help moving a body.

Tovar-Vargas faces charges for disposing of the body and tampering with evidence. He has not yet been charged with murder. The sheriff’s office said he has a long criminal history and is a suspect in domestic violence cases involving three other women, all of whom are alive. Eddie Gonzales said the new information made him worry about the type of person Tovar-Vargas is. He told the suspect he was a coward for doing what he did.

Salazar said investigators do not believe any other suspects are involved in the death. The homicide investigation is still ongoing. Tovar-Vargas remained in the Bexar County jail as of Monday night. The sheriff’s office asks people with information to call 210-335-6000.