The Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit has identified the remains of Kristen “Kiki” Galvan, a Houston-area teenager who disappeared more than six years ago after becoming a victim of human trafficking. The criminal investigation into her death remains open.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday that advanced DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to Galvan, who was 15 when she disappeared from Montgomery County in January 2020.
Remains recovered in Missouri City
The Missouri City Police Department asked the state unit for help in November 2022 after investigators had been unable to identify human remains recovered on January 29, 2020.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said authorities found the remains near a jogging trail in Missouri City shortly after Galvan vanished.
An autopsy and anthropological examination indicated the remains belonged to a female between 13 and 18 and that she was the apparent victim of a homicide, according to the attorney general’s office.
The condition of the remains prevented investigators from developing a standard short tandem repeat DNA profile, prompting them to pursue more advanced testing.
Advanced testing confirms identity
The Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit worked with the University of North Texas to develop a mitochondrial DNA profile that produced initial leads.
Because investigators believed the victim was a juvenile, the unit partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The Doe Network also searched its databases and helped investigators discover a possible connection to Galvan, but officials needed additional testing to confirm her identity.
Over the past year, the state unit and the national center collaborated with Bode Technology and Astrea Forensics. Forensic investigative genetic genealogy ultimately confirmed that the remains belonged to Galvan.
Family prepares to bring Galvan home
Galvan’s family released a statement Tuesday after receiving confirmation of her identity.
“For more than six years, we searched for our beautiful daughter, Kristen. Through every unanswered question, every lead, every sleepless night, and every heartbreak, we never gave up. We held onto hope that one day we would have answers and be able to bring our daughter home.
“Today, while our hearts are shattered beyond words, we are grateful that Kristen will be finally home with her family. Nothing can erase the pain of losing her or the years that were taken from us, but bringing her home allows us to lay her to rest with the love and dignity she has always deserved.”
During the search, Galvan’s mother, Robyn Cory, worked to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking. She also advocated for safety changes along Houston’s Bissonnet corridor, an area long associated with sex trafficking, according to the national center.
Investigators seek information
“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 the release. “Right now, I ask every Texan to join me in praying for Kristen Galvan’s family during this unimaginably difficult time.”
The attorney general’s office said it cannot release specific case details because the criminal investigation remains open. Anyone with information about Galvan’s disappearance or death may contact the Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit at coldcaseunit@oag.texas.gov. The unit accepts anonymous tips.
Provided by Dallas Express
