Texas Authorities Identify Remains of Houston Teen Missing Since 2020
Six years after a Houston-area teenager disappeared, Texas authorities have identified her remains through advanced forensic genetic genealogy, bringing long-awaited answers to her family.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday that the state’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit identified the remains as Kristen Galvan, who went missing in 2020 after reportedly becoming a victim of human trafficking.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Galvan’s disappearance remained unsolved for years. In November 2022, the Missouri City Police Department requested assistance from the Cold Case Unit regarding unidentified human remains discovered on January 29, 2020, just days after Galvan vanished.
At the time, investigators believed the victim was a female between the ages of 13 and 18 and that she had been the victim of a homicide. However, the condition of the remains prevented authorities from identifying her.
Officials said an extensive investigation, combined with forensic investigative genetic genealogy, ultimately confirmed the victim’s identity as Kristen Galvan.
“I launched my Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit to secure justice for victims and to provide closure to families whose lives have been forever changed by violent crime,” Paxton said in a statement. “Right now, I ask every Texan to join me in praying for Kristen Galvan’s family during this unimaginably difficult time.”
The investigation into Galvan’s death remains ongoing as authorities continue working to determine the circumstances surrounding her killing and identify those responsible.
