A 3-year-old and his parents were stabbed in their East El Paso home 30 years ago. The man accused of murdering them has not yet been on trial.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- 30 years. That is how long the families of Concepción Villa, Francisco Santoni, and Dante Santoni have been waiting for answers and closure. That's also how long ABC-7 has been covering the family's triple murder.
"Police say all three victims died of multiple stab wounds," Estela Casas said the evening of August 11, 1994 while anchoring beside Gary Warner. "Investigators are treating the case as a triple murder."
Now we are two days away from 30th anniversary, and the case remains untried in court.
On that August day in 1994 ABC-7 crews were rolling as police and medical staff carried the bodies out of the family's eastside home. Police at the time said the aunt of 3-year-old Dante Santoni found the boy in his bed. His parents were found in the master bedroom. There were no signs of forced entry.
"Signs of struggle, the house has been ransacked somewhat," EPPD Crimes Against Persons Lt. Paul Saucedo told ABC-7 as investigators worked inside the house.
"So, are we looking at a possible robbery?" an ABC-7 reporter asked Saucedo.
"Anything," he answered.
During the investigation, detectives said they couldn't remember the last time a young child was brutally killed this way.
Court documents obtained by ABC-7 state the alleged murderer used a "sharp object" to kill Villa, her boyfriend, and their child.
"Most murders are always solved within the 24 to 48 hour time span," police spokesperson Sgt. Lalo Balderrama explained to ABC-7 the day of the murder. "So I think the biggest hindrance right now is time. The longer time goes on, the harder it's going to be."
Unfortunately, time did go on, and police were not able to identify a suspect until 2015. It was another five years before they could track the suspect down. Arturo Ortega Garcia was arrested in Mexico City. Officials extradited him to El Paso in 2022.
Since then, Garcia and the victims' family members have waited for a trial. Several dates have been scheduled, as well as a settlement conference last week.
ABC-7 has reached out to Garcia's lawyer to find out more about the case's progress. We are waiting to hear back.
The motive is still unknown.
We have also spoken with Concepción Villa's family, who say they seek justice and closure as they prepare to mark the 30th anniversary of their loved one's death.
