SAN ANTONIO – A man has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a woman all the way back in 1981.
Kelly Lee Brower, 68, of Cottonwood, Arizona, was arrested on August 29, 2026, in connection with the 1981 killing of Yolanda Herrera in Universal City.
According to the affidavit, Herrera, 23, was last seen leaving Johnny’s Inn in Schertz early April 11, 1981. Her nude body was found two days later in a field near East Aviation Boulevard.
An autopsy found she died from multiple blunt-force injuries, and investigators believed she had been sexually assaulted.
The affidavit says modern DNA and forensic-genealogy work identified Brower as a suspect. Investigators collected a discarded Coors Light can from his Arizona residence in 2025; DNA from the can allegedly matched DNA found under Herrera’s fingernails, with a reported random-match probability of at least 1 in 31 billion. The affidavit also says the DNA could not be excluded from the sexual-assault-kit sample.
Upon questioning, Brower acknowledged living in the San Antonio area around 1980-81 but initially denied knowing Herrera and refused a voluntary DNA sample.
Following a court-authorized DNA collection, the affidavit says Brower later attempted suicide after telling family he was worried about a Texas DNA case.
During an Aug. 18 interview in an Arizona hospital ICU, Brower allegedly said his “higher self” told him he killed Herrera, admitted having sex with her, said he used his hands, and apologized to Herrera and her family.
Kelly Lee Brower was ultimately arrested after recovering and has been extradited to the Bexar County Jail, where he remains in custody with a bond amount of $1,000,000.