Police Provide Details of Tuesday Morning Murder

Police recovered a bloodied knife from the scene of the crime at 2729 Houston St. on Tuesday morning, a vital piece of evidence believed to be used in the commission of the murder of 5-year-old Naiya Villegas some time shortly around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Details of the murder investigation were revealed at a press conference held by Chief of Police Tim Vasquez at the San Angelo Police Department Tuesday afternoon, where Vasquez stated police have confirmed the child’s throat was cut prior to the arrival of emergency personnel Tuesday morning. 

Police Chief Tim Vasquez discusses the circumstances of the murder:

According to a complaint filed by investigator Carlton T. Kolbe, the suspect, 23-year-old Isidro Miguel Delacruz, entered the residence of his ex-girlfriend, Tanya Bermea through a back window shortly before committing the murder and refused to leave.

At the time of the break-in, only Bermea and her daughter, Villegas, were in the house, however shortly thereafter Bermea exited to call her mother, Jesusita Bermea and the two returned, but De La Cruz refused to let them back inside.

Bermea then drove to Delacruz’s mother’s house, located in the 3100 block of Lindell St., to seek assistance in removing Delacruz from the residence, and when she returned her daughter’s throat had been slit and Delacruz was covering the wound with paper towels, the complaint states.

“Tanya Bermea said that when she walked into the residence the defendant got up and punched her several times, then pushed her outside onto the sidewalk and started choking her,” Detective Kolbe wrote.

Responding officer Marcus Rodriguez reported that he had been dispatched to the scene for a civil disturbance, and upon arrival found Bermea in the front yard and observed Delacruz walking into the residence.

Once inside, Rodriguez observed Villegas lying on the living room floor and Delacruz holding paper towels to the victim’s throat.

Kolbe’s walk-through of the residence turned up a horrific scene, with blood on the walls, blinds, floor and Villegas’ bedroom, as well as in the kitchen mixed with water. Crime scene photos of Delacruz revealed a laceration on the back of lhis eft upper arm. 

The suspected murder weapon was found underneath a vehicle parked at the end of a walkway, where blood visibly marked the area.

Following their arrival on scene, police immediately took Delacruz into custody and transported him to the county jail, where he was booked for murder.

Tanya Bermea, Jesusita Bermea and Naiya Villegas were transported to the hospital. Villegas succumbed to her injuries within an hour of the initial call made to dispatch. Both Bermeas were treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Delacruz has been charged with capital murder, which carries a punishment of life without parole or the death penalty, if sought. He is currently being held in lieu of a $1 million bond.