Curtis Foley was a loving, kind, and sweet man who, despite life’s challenges, was remembered by his father as having a truly golden heart. The 29-year-old Black male from Abilene, Texas, was a son deeply loved by his parents, Misti Taylor and Jeffery Jackson. They acknowledged that their son was human and made mistakes, facing struggles with mental health and addiction, but emphasized that he was actively fighting to better his life and was clean at the time of his death.
His father said that just five minutes of conversation with Curtis was enough to see his true character. His death came as a devastating second blow to his mother, who had buried her own husband just a month prior.
On the afternoon of Saturday, October 10, 2026, a resident in south Abilene made a grim discovery. At approximately 1:06 p.m., police were called to the 1400 block of Pecan Street after a person was found lying in a backyard accessible through an alley. When officers arrived, they found Curtis Foley motionless and unresponsive. He showed no signs of life, and a Justice of the Peace pronounced him deceased at the scene. The nature of his injuries was not immediately released by authorities, but the case was quickly classified as a homicide.
The Abilene Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division and Crimes Against Persons detectives were called to lead the investigation into the city's 11th homicide of the year. The area was processed for evidence, and detectives began seeking information about what had happened to Curtis. Early in the investigation, authorities took one person in for questioning, though no immediate arrests were made. His mother, Misti, recalled receiving the devastating call from a detective while she had family over to support her through her recent widowhood.
The investigation progressed, and an arrest was made in connection with Curtis’s death. Joseph Adam Soliz was taken into custody and charged with murder. He was booked into the Taylor County Jail and held on a $1 million bond. As of October 2026, no further details about the motive or the specific circumstances leading to the killing had been released by law enforcement.
In the wake of their son's death, Curtis's parents spoke out about their profound loss and their desire for justice. "He did some wrong things, but that doesn't take away all the good he did too," his mother, Misti Taylor, said. His father, Jeffery Jackson, expressed his deep hurt, stating, "I don't see my son doing anything that would cause him to be taken out like that. I'm hurt. I'm so hurt." He added, "I've lost someone. Someone that was very near and dear to my heart. I'll never be the same again." They both believed their son was on the right track and deserved to live his life.
The case against Joseph Adam Soliz is pending in the Texas court system. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to the death of Curtis Foley.
