Bio 

Jose Angel Moreno was born on December 13, 1967. He lived in San Antonio, Texas, and was just over eighteen years old when he murdered Juan Manuel Cruz in January 1986. Before the murder, Moreno developed a plan to kidnap someone and demand money from the victim’s family. Court records state that he spent months planning the crime. He chose Juan Manuel “John” Cruz because he believed Cruz came from a family that could pay a ransom. Moreno located Cruz through a high school directory and arranged for two friends to help dig a grave before the kidnapping took place.

Moreno’s plan showed preparation before the killing. He first tried to stop Cruz’s car after Cruz left work, but that attempt failed. He then placed large rocks in the road near Cruz’s home, hoping Cruz would stop and get out of his car. On the night of January 21, 1986, Cruz stopped to move the rocks, and Moreno used that moment to abduct him.

Murder Story

On the night of January 21, 1986, Jose Angel Moreno carried out his kidnapping plan in Bexar County, Texas. He placed large rocks in the road near Juan Manuel Cruz’s home so Cruz would stop his car and get out. When Cruz began moving the rocks, Moreno approached him with a gun.

Moreno blindfolded and handcuffed Cruz, then drove him to a grave site that had already been prepared. When Cruz was standing near the grave, Moreno shot him in the head from a short distance. Cruz fell into the grave, and Moreno buried his body and covered the area with trash.

After killing Cruz, Moreno called Cruz’s family and demanded a $30,000 ransom. During one recorded call, Cruz’s family said they could not immediately access the money because it was in trust. Moreno responded, “You killed him, not us.” Informants later identified Moreno’s voice on the recording. Police then obtained a search warrant for his home and found the gun used in the murder. Moreno was arrested and signed a confession.

Cruz’s body was found in a grave off Wing Road in Bexar County. A bullet was recovered from his head, and a ballistics examiner said it was probably fired from a .44-caliber Charter Arms Bulldog revolver. Police had also received information that Moreno owned that type of gun and kept it at his home.

On April 2, 1986, a Bexar County grand jury indicted Moreno for capital murder for killing Cruz during the course of committing or attempting to commit kidnapping. On January 13, 1987, a jury found him guilty and answered Texas’s death-penalty special issues in a way that resulted in a death sentence. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals later affirmed his conviction and sentence.

Moreno remained on Texas death row for many years. His execution was scheduled for May 10, 2007, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed it for further review of punishment issues. In 2009, his death sentence was vacated and the case was returned to Bexar County. Texas Department of Criminal Justice records state that on April 22, 2009, Moreno’s death sentence was reduced to life by the Bexar County District Court.

As of the latest verified prison-status record reviewed, Jose Angel Moreno was no longer on Texas death row because his death sentence had been reduced to life imprisonment.