Justice at Last: Lubbock Police Finally Solve 16-Year Cold Case Murder

16 years ago, a man in Lubbock was murdered on a night out on the town. After more than a decade and a half, police have finally learned the identity of the cold-blooded killer.

2009 Murder of Christopher Perez

According to a recent news release from the Lubbock Police Department (LPD), Christopher Perez was spending time at a bar in town on July 31, 2009. At roughly 1:58 in the morning, LPD responded to a call at the very same bar.

When the cops arrived, they discovered Perez's body. He had died after being stabbed multiple times by an unknown assailant inside the bar located at the 500 block of E 34th Street.

Witnesses were immediately questioned, and police learned valuable information that set them on the path of justice. LPD learned that the culprit was a Hispanic male between 35 and 45 years old.

DNA Leads to Surprising Twist

DNA was also collected from the scene and sent to LPD's Forensics Unit who passed it along to the Texas Department of Public Safety for further evaluation.

A DNA hit was finally made, bringing closure to Perez's family after 16 years. In a shocking twist, the match, 52-year-old Mexican national Javier Pando died in Mexico some time after the murder.

DNA Matches in Texas

Perez's murderer was able to be caught thanks to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Created back in 1995, this system helps law enforcement across the state identify criminals whenever DNA is present at the crime scene/last known location.

The main purposes that CODIS is used for include identifying human remains, locating missing persons, identification research, and DNA lab quality control.