Cell Records Solve 2019 Cold Case

For Eddie Gonzales, the long wait for answers ended on a Saturday morning. Detectives from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office called him on Oct. 31 to confirm the arrest of Joey Emiliano Tovar-Vargas, the man they suspect in the 2019 death of his 20-year-old daughter. Meagan Gonzales was last seen alive around Nov. 11, 2019, with Tovar-Vargas in her vehicle. Her body was found burned and decomposed in a field in southwest Bexar County the next month. The case sat cold for seven years until new technology allowed investigators to revisit the evidence.

The break came when the sheriff’s office cold case team analyzed Tovar-Vargas' cellphone records, a source of information that was not fully accessible in 2019. Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that the phone provided a substantial amount of evidence. Cell data placed Tovar-Vargas near the locations where Meagan Gonzales' belongings were discovered. The device also contained search history asking how long fingerprints last and how to delete social media accounts. These details helped build a timeline that connected the suspect to the days surrounding her disappearance.

Physical evidence on the phone further tied Tovar-Vargas to the crime. Photos taken before Meagan Gonzales' death showed a blanket with a distinct pattern inside Tovar-Vargas' home. Investigators later found her body wrapped in a blanket with the same matching pattern. Witnesses also reported seeing Tovar-Vargas dumping items in the days after she went missing. Authorities said he asked a witness for help moving a body, a claim that supported the physical evidence found on his device.

Tovar-Vargas is currently facing charges for disposing of a body and tampering with evidence. He has not yet been charged with murder. The sheriff’s office noted that he has a lengthy criminal history and is a suspect in domestic violence cases involving three other women, all of whom are alive. While investigators believe Tovar-Vargas and Meagan Gonzales were dating, there were no prior reports of violence between them. The arrest brings a measure of relief to Eddie Gonzales, who said he felt more relaxed now that someone has been caught.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the sheriff’s office does not currently believe there are other suspects involved. Tovar-Vargas remained in the Bexar County jail as of Monday night. Anyone with information about the case can contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6000.