Murder suspect is arrested in North Texas

Nearly a year after the crime, a former San Marcos man has been arrested in North Texas for the murder of a friend who had been staying with him, and is expected to be returned to Hays County soon.

Jesus Miguel Villarreal, 28, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force on Sept. 28 at a Super 8 motel in Stephenville. He was taken to the Erath County Jail awaiting extradition to San Marcos, where he faces charges of murder and tampering with evidence.

According to an affidavit of probable cause for his arrest signed by Justice of the Peace Maggie Moreno, Villarreal is suspected of shooting his roommate Robert Castaneda in October of last year, then lying to police about his actions and whereabouts.

The affidavit states that shots were heard in the area of 2913 Hunter Road — Twin Lakes Villa — shortly after midnight on Oct. 16. Police responded but could find nothing.

Then, a little more than two hours later, police responded to the same location for reports of a man down and found Castaneda dead of a gunshot wound. The affidavit notes it was Villarreal, also known as “Jesse,” who placed the 911 call. Police also talked with the victim’s brother, John Castaneda, who said that 30 minutes before the 911 call, he had responded to Villarreal’s request to come over to his brother’s apartment and found Villarreal standing over his brother’s body.

John Castaneda also told police his brother was a drug dealer known to have large amounts of cash on hand. He told police he asked Villarreal about any drugs or money at the apartment, and was told he had “put it up.”

During a second police interview with Villarreal two days later, he said he was at a local bar earlier in the evening, and got home to find Castaneda dead. Police determined that texts he said he sent to a woman who worked at the bar saying he wanted to “party” appeared to dispute he had said about his whereabouts at the time.

On Oct. 26, John Castaneda met with police and gave them three jars of marijuana and $3,000 cash he said Villarreal had given him. Tests revealed Villarreal’s fingerprints on one of the jars.

Detective Robert Elrod of the SMPD concluded that “from the totality of all the information,” he believed “Villarreal was at Robert’s apartment at the time of the murder” … and “intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Robert Castaneda.”

The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force that had been on the search for Villarreal got a tip on Sept. 27 that he was in Stephenville.

The San Marcos, Kyle and Buda police departments are members of the task force, as are Hays and Caldwell counties.