Man searched 'how long fingerprints last'

Joey Emiliano Tovar-Vargas, 24, searched online how long fingerprints last after wrapping his girlfriend's body in a distinctive blanket.

“how long fingerprints last”

Girlfriend's body found burned

Meagan Gonzales, 20, was last seen with Tovar-Vargas in her truck on Nov. 11, 2019, in San Antonio.

Body recovered in field

Her body was found in a field more than 20 miles from her truck on Dec. 3, 2019.

Body wrapped in distinctive blanket

Authorities recovered her body burned and wrapped in a blanket with distinctive patterns.

Cold case unit re-examined

Bexar County Sheriff's Office re-examined the case starting last year using new technology.

Phone data reveals evidence

Phone data showed Tovar-Vargas was in the area where Gonzales' property was recovered.

Suspect searched for evidence

Tovar-Vargas allegedly searched how to delete social media and how long fingerprints last.

Witness reported evidence

A witness said Tovar-Vargas dumped evidence in the days following the homicide.

Charges filed

Tovar-Vargas charged with tampering with a corpse but not murder.

Sheriff's statement

Sheriff Javier Salazar said they believe Tovar-Vargas is responsible but can only prove he disposed of the body.

Bail set

Tovar-Vargas jailed on $200,000 bond with next court date March 29.

Father's reaction

Meagan's father said he dreamed about telling her he would hold the person responsible accountable.

Father's hope

He told Meagan, 'it looks like you're getting your justice that I promised you'.

Case status

The case remains open with no murder charges filed.