The Austin Police Department unveiled new details and the arrest of a man linked to two unsolved murders in Central Texas, with officials confirming the possibility of him being a serial killer based on case profiles.
On Tuesday, May 12, Austin Police officials revealed that Luis Fernando Benitez Gonzalez, 26, had been arrested in Dallas on April 27 for his alleged involvement in two cold case murders dating back to 2018 and 2024, with Gonzalez confessing to the murders while in police custody. The revelation comes nearly two years after police publicized that DNA found at the scene of the 2024 murder matched DNA uncovered at the 2018 crime scene.
Background on Luis Fernando Benitez Gonzalez
Deputy United States Marshal Brandon Filla confirmed on Tuesday that Gonzalez is a Mexican National who had voluntarily been deported back in 2020 before reappearing in Texas. Officials described him as transient and having criminal connections in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Hidalgo County, Lockhart and the Dale area.
On January 9, Filla said APD requested the assistance of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Gonzalez for his alleged involvement in two aggravated assault cases against women that happened in November and December 2025. The task force also sought assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding his potential legal status, with Gonzalez later determined to be a Mexican National.
How law enforcement caught Luis Fernando Benitez Gonzalez
On April 26, the task force arrived in Dallas and began surveilling the Cornerstone Apartments the following day. On April 27, they saw a Hispanic man, later identified as Gonzalez, walking around and getting a ride in a blue pickup truck. After traveling for some time, the truck parked with the passengers exiting to load up a trailer…