Cold case detectives charge man with stabbing after 31 years

Houston cold case detectives arrested a Houston man Wednesday after he admitted to stabbing a man 31 years ago.

Martin Palacdios Gutierrez, has been accused of killing Santiago Gonale in June 1979.

KHOU Houston reports:

According to court documents, Gonale’s body was found in the 4500 block of Barker-Cypress Road by a farmer on July 3, 1979. Investigators determined Gonale had been stabbed 12 times in the head, neck, back and shoulder at another location before his body was dumped off of Barker-Cypress.

The initial investigation led detectives to Gutierrez two days after the slaying. Court documents state Gutierrez provided a written statement to investigators at that time, admitting that Gonale worked for him, and that they’d been drinking together after work on June 30 when they got into an argument.

Gutierrez is being held on a $100,000 bond.