Robert Johnson Manley, a 71-year-old white male, was found murdered in his San Antonio apartment in early 1981. Described by neighbors as eccentric and unemployed, Manley was discovered lying in his bedroom, dressed only in trousers. The scene was gruesome: he had been bludgeoned to death with a claw hammer, which was left bloodied beside his body. At the time of the murder, no suspects had been identified, and the case remained unsolved for a period.
The breakthrough came later that year when authorities arrested David Villarreal, a 25-year-old man from San Antonio, who confessed to a series of murders spanning several years. Villarreal admitted to killing at least five men, including Robert Johnson Manley, between 1978 and 1981. His victims were primarily gay men, and the killings were marked by extreme brutality. Villarreal was acquainted with each of his victims, and investigators believed his motives included personal animosity and sexual gratification.
Villarreal’s arrest occurred on March 10, 1981, in Dallas, where he was taken into custody without incident. He voluntarily confessed to seven murders, though only five could be conclusively linked to him. Among those was the murder of Robert Johnson Manley, the 71-year-old white male victim. Villarreal later pleaded guilty to all charges and received multiple life sentences. He remains incarcerated at the James V. Allred Unit in Wichita Falls, Texas.
