Celia Lopez, a 29-year-old Hispanic woman, was found dead on April 15, 2015, in the 4400 block of South Presa Street in San Antonio. Her body showed obvious signs of trauma, and investigators believe she had been dead for several days before discovery.

On June 19, 2015, the San Antonio Police Department announced that 28-year-old Johnny Avalos had been charged with Lopez’s murder. Avalos was already jailed on charges including capital murder and sexual assault in connection with the December 2014 death of 15-year-old Natalie Chavez; authorities say Chavez’s death was ruled asphyxia and that Avalos’s DNA was found on her body. Prosecutors also tie Avalos to other attacks on the South Side and say he faces multiple capital murder indictments covering four women aged 15 to 46, including Genevieve Ramirez and Rosemary Perez. The Bexar County District Attorney’s office said it would seek the death penalty, while Lopez’s mother, Maria Avila, asked for consecutive life sentences.