DNA Solves 2003 Bullard Cold Case Murder

**Man Arrested in Two-Decade-Old Bullard Cold Case Murder of Kayla Gomez O'Daniel**

**BULLARD, Texas** – A North Carolina man has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the 2003 abduction and death of 10-year-old Kayla Gomez O'Daniel in Bullard, Texas. Gustavo Valdovinos, 42, was taken into custody on May 29th, 2024, finally bringing a significant break in the cold case after more than twenty years.

Valdovinos was initially arrested in North Carolina and has since been extradited back to Texas to face the capital murder charge.

The original disappearance of Kayla Gomez O'Daniel sent shockwaves through the Bullard community. Kayla was reported missing from her bedroom at 13498 County Road 1317 in Bullard on November 2nd, 2003, after her parents discovered her gone around 6 AM. A massive search effort ensued, but tragically, her body was found just four days later, on November 6th, 2003, in a wooded area approximately two-and-a-half miles from her home.

The breakthrough in the long-dormant case came through advancements in forensic science. DNA evidence, specifically forensic genealogy, played a crucial role. Authorities utilized assistance from Othram Inc., which helped develop a suspect lead through a familial DNA match. This match ultimately pointed investigators directly to Valdovinos.

The arrest offers a potential path to answers and closure for Kayla's family, who have waited more than two decades for developments in the case of their daughter's murder. Valdovinos is currently being held in Texas awaiting further legal proceedings.