BELL COUNTY, Texas — A 56-year-old man was arrested in Karnes County, near San Antonio, on Wednesday in connection to the murder of a 26-year-old woman back in 2011.
The man, identified as Alvin Dewayne Canton, 56, was arrested with the help of the U.S. Marshal's Texas Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, according to the Bell County Sheriff's Department.
In 2022, the sheriff's department reopened a cold case regarding the murder of Shayna L. Waller, according to Lead Investigator Corey Powell with the sheriff's department.
"Shayna's case became one quickly that had viable leads," Powell described. "We had the evidence, we still had witnesses that were around, and we had a suspect and we started working on that.”
Powell said Waller's body was found on Jan. 29, 2011 in a ditch on Quarry Road in Killeen. According to an arrest affidavit, her body was found partially wrapped in a light-green bedsheet "that was saturated with what appeared to be blood near the female's head." Deputies also found a single rubber glove with blood on it near her body.
"I'm confident [Canton] didn't meet her on that rural road," Powell said. "We're confident she was disposed of [in the ditch]... Like he just didn't care."
On June 30, 2011, an autopsy was completed for Waller. It showed that she died by homicide from multiple stab wounds that were found all over her body, including multiple on her neck and abdomen, the affidavit states.
The Texas Department of Public Safety generated a DNA profile based on the evidence that authorities collected at the crime scene and came up with a match in CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the arrest affidavit states. The match ended up being Canton, who consented to a blood draw, the affidavit continues.
Powell said that when it came to DNA evidence, it was the glove that ultimately lead to Canton's arrest.
"That glove was important to find hers and his DNA," he said.
"Texas DPS concluded that Waller's DNA was detected on the exterior of the glove recovered on scene with Canton's DNA detected inside the glove," the affidavit adds.
Canton would've been 43 at the time Waller was murdered. Powell said at the time to now, Canton has an arrest record, which includes charges of aggravated assault in multiple states.
Canton is now being held by the Karnes County Sheriff's Department on a $1-million bond. He is awaiting his arraignment and extradition back to Bell County.
BCSD notified Waller's family of his arrest. Powell said Waller's mom was crying with excitement at the news of Canton's arrest.
"Being able to make the call to Shayna's mom, it's just overwhelming when she says, 'I didn't think this call would come,' cause it's been 13 years," Powell said. "The excitement that she now gets to tell her family."
This cold case marks the first cold case Powell solved for the department.
"Even if there’s a cold case, they never close. They're always there," Powell said. "Sometimes I worry there’s somebody out there that knows something. That’s something we need to help us solve these cases. Sometimes just calling, coming forward, reporting to crime stoppers your information, could be such a big help."
Stay with 6 News as this story develops.
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