Texas Rangers arrest suspect in 42-year-old cold case
Arrest made in 1981 murder of Carol Joyce Deleon
Suspect arrested after 4 decades
AUSTIN, Texas
The Texas Rangers have made an arrest in a 42-year-old cold case. On April 13, 2023, the Rangers arrested 68-year-old Larry Allen West in connection with the murder of Carol Joyce Deleon, 18, on June 4, 1981.
"This arrest is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the Texas Rangers to seek justice for victims and their families," said Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw. "We will never stop working to bring closure to families who have lost loved ones to violent crime."
Deleon's body was found on June 4, 1981, along West FM 544 north of Whitewright in Grayson County. She had been stabbed to death.
The Rangers reopened the case in 2021 and developed new leads that led to West's arrest. West is being held in the Grayson County Jail on a $1 million bond.
The arrest comes as a relief to Deleon's family, who had never given up hope that her killer would be brought to justice.
"We are so grateful to the Texas Rangers for never giving up on this case," said Deleon's sister, Sandra Deleon. "We can finally have some closure now knowing that the person who killed my sister has been arrested."
The arrest is a reminder that cold cases can be solved, even decades later. The Texas Rangers are committed to pursuing justice for all victims of violent crime, no matter how long it takes.
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