Nine years after Seguin murder, confession tip leads to Utah arrest

Nine years after Seguin murder, confession tip leads to Utah arrest by Bob Gambert Fri, November 6, 2026 at 11:17 AM 5 VIEW ALL PHOTOS Levi Spencer Cotton, 32, was arrested Tuesday at his workplace in Salt Lake City, Utah. Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share topics: Seguin Utah arrest Murder Cold case Confession Crime Stoppers Extradition Guadalupe County SEGUIN, Texas - After nearly a decade without answers, a new arrest has sparked hope in an old murder case. Levi Spencer Cotton, 32, was arrested Tuesday at his workplace in Salt Lake City, Utah, charged with murder in the July 4, 2017, killing of Joe James Rangel, also known as Jaime Rangel, at his home on Shady Lane in Seguin. The Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office confirmed Cotton is being held at the Salt Lake County Detention Center while awaiting possible extradition to Guadalupe County. Rangel, 57, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside his house in the Meadow Lake subdivision. The original investigation stalled despite early reports of an unidentified man seen at Rangel's home the night before the killing and interviews with party attendees. The case remained unsolved for more than nine years until February, when the addition of cold-case investigator Charlie Drake gave new life to the search for answers. According to investigators, new interviews and evidence reopened leads. Sheriff Joshua Ray addressed the long wait for justice. "For more than nine years that case went unsolved. Nine years is a long time. It’s long enough for a family to stop hoping and a community to stop asking. But I want to say plainly this office never stopped asking," Ray said. A witness told investigators that Cotton confessed to killing Rangel. In 2020, Crime Stoppers received two tips identifying Cotton, with one tipster alleging he described details about the shooting. Trending 1 dead, 1 in grave condition after shootout with police at Alamo Ranch San Antonio police are investigating an officer-involved shooting on the far West Side near Lone Star Parkway and Alamo Ranch Parkway. One person is dead, another is hospitalized in critical condition. No officers hurt. 17-year-old boy fights 14-year-old girl at Stevens HS, his mother claims self-defense More details surfacing about the fight between two Stevens High School students making rounds on social media.A 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were caug Mom failed to get kids from after-school club, found dead in vehicle after 3-day search Police said the circumstances of the crash and the cause of death remain under investigation. Video shows 14-year-old attacked by older student at Stevens High School A 14-year-old Stevens High School student is recovering. She says she was assaulted by a 17-year-old boy in the cafeteria at school while staff members watched Should San Antonio decriminalize marijuana? Should San Antonio decriminalize marijuana? NEWS IN PHOTOS: " Local " 8 NEW San Antonio Mayor pushes for changes to state health care, immigration and housing laws 3 SA Economic study on marijuana legalization in the works following Democrat win 20 PHOTOS: Harlandale Indians take on McCollum Cowboys in the Frontier Bowl 6 San Antonio Spurs take on Sacramento Kings in NBA Cup group stage