Houston Police Department

July 1, 2005 -- Houston Police Department Homicide Investigators have arrested and charged a 38-year-old man in the murder of Norma Torres that occurred around 8:15 a.m. on July 19, 1990 at 17103 Imperial Valley. Roland Salazar was arrested on June 29, 2005 and charged with capital murder in the 263rd State District Count.

The body of then 18-year-old Norma Torres was found in her apartment. Investigators learned that she had been sexually assaulted, bound and smothered to death. HPD Homicide Division Sergeants E.S. Mehl and J.W. Belk got a description from residents of a possible suspect who was seen around her apartment shortly before her murder. That possible suspect, Roland Salazar (Hm/ DOB 5-17-67), was previously a resident at the apartment complex and had been evicted about two weeks before Ms. Torres was murdered.

Salazar was interviewed by investigators in 1990 and denied having anything to do with the murder. Salazar gave investigators a blood sample that was sent to a private laboratory for analysis along with other evidence and no DNA typing was found. Due to recent advancements in DNA technology the samples were resubmitted to a private lab in November of 2004. Roland Salazar's DNA was found to match on critical pieces of evidence related to the murder of Norma Torres and he was arrested in the 800 block of Bagby and is currently in jail without bond.

This case was solved due to the hard work by HPD Homicide investigators and advancements in DNA technology.

AW/ MES 7-1-05
Inc# 74695490

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.