Roommate Arrested in Bexar County Murder Case Nearly Two Years After Victim Vanished

A Mother's Worst Fear Confirmed

When Jorge Perales stopped calling his mother, she knew something was wrong. He had contacted her every single day — until August 21, 2024, when the calls simply stopped. She reported him missing to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office on August 26, 2024. What followed was a nearly two-year investigation that ultimately led to a murder charge against one of his own roommates.

When Perales' mother went to his home in south Bexar County, she found that both roommates' bedrooms were empty and his vehicle was missing. The disappearance had every hallmark of a case that could go cold fast — no body, no obvious crime scene, and two missing roommates. But investigators refused to let it go.

A Trail of Evidence Across Texas

Using cell phone data, investigators tracked Perales' phone from his residence to Atascosa County near Whitsett, where it was shut off. That digital breadcrumb pointed south — and set the direction for the entire investigation. Investigators also used surveillance footage and license plate reader data to track Perales' vehicle traveling south from San Antonio with a black Nissan Sentra driven by one of his roommates, Yesid O. Villabona Leon.

In November 2024, police located Perales' vehicle abandoned in a downtown San Antonio parking lot. A search warrant revealed blood and an empty bleach bottle inside the vehicle. Investigators also found cleaning supplies inside the car — evidence that someone had made a deliberate effort to cover their tracks. A tip then led investigators to identify a second suspect, Marlon Garcia, who was seen in surveillance video from a Valero gas station.

Arrest Across State Lines — and a Confession

Arrest warrants were issued for both Villabona Leon and Garcia. U.S. Marshals ultimately arrested Villabona Leon in North Carolina and booked him into the Durham County Jail. The long arm of federal law enforcement proved critical in cracking the case wide open.

After being brought back to Texas, Villabona Leon confessed that his roommate Garcia allegedly strangled and killed Perales, and told investigators the body was taken to an unknown ranch near the Atascosa and Live Oak county lines. Villabona Leon, 38, was ultimately booked on charges of murder, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse without legal authority, according to Bexar County records.

Justice Still Incomplete

Authorities identified the second roommate as Marlon Roney Vasquez-Garcia. As of this writing, the search for Vasquez-Garcia and the location of Perales' remains continue to be central to the ongoing investigation. Villabona Leon has been charged with murder in connection with the death of 26-year-old Perales, and the incident remains under investigation.

This case is a sobering reminder of how long justice can take — and how many resources it requires. From cell phone pings to gas station surveillance footage to a cross-country arrest by U.S. Marshals, it took nearly two years of painstaking investigative work to bring even one suspect into custody. For the Perales family, the arrest offers a measure of accountability, but the road to full closure remains long as authorities continue searching for the second suspect and the physical evidence that could seal the case in court.