Bio

Juan Salvez Soria was born on May 15, 1967. He grew up in a difficult environment as the son of migrant workers. The family often moved for work, which made stability hard to find. Soria had a challenging childhood, marked by a lack of education and resources. He attended school but only completed the ninth grade. After school, he worked in various jobs, including construction and an auto body shop.

Soria did not have a history of serious legal troubles during his early life. However, he was known to get into minor trouble, such as vandalism. Only a few months before he would later commit murder, Soria was arrested for attempting to burglarize a church, which caused significant damage.

As a teenager, Soria sometimes associated with friends who shared a similar lifestyle. His education was limited, and this may have influenced his decisions later in life. He experienced a lack of direction and purpose, which perhaps contributed to his eventual actions.

By June 1985, Soria was 18 years old and had been living in the Fort Worth, Texas area. He met Allen E. Bolden, a 17-year-old who worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the Fort Worth Boys Club, where Soria also spent time. The two had mutual acquaintances and shared a social circle through the community center.

Murder Story

On June 28, 1985, Juan Salvez Soria and his accomplice, Mike Lagunas, asked 17-year-old Allen E. Bolden for a ride from the Fort Worth Boys Club, where Bolden worked as a lifeguard. Bolden agreed and picked them up in his car. Once inside the vehicle, Lagunas pulled a gun on Bolden and instructed him to drive to a secluded area under a bridge.

In that secluded spot, Lagunas struck Bolden in the head with a rock, rendering him unconscious. Soria then stabbed Bolden twice in the back of the head, killing him. After the murder, Soria and Lagunas took Bolden's car and fled the scene. They picked up two friends along the way and bragged about the killing, indicating they had intended to steal the car to sell it.

Two days later, on June 30, 1985, Soria, Lagunas, and a 14-year-old boy were stopped for speeding near Del Rio, Texas. When police discovered that the car they were in was stolen, they were arrested. Bolden’s body was found soon after, based on information provided by Lagunas.

Soria confessed to the murder, detailing how he had killed Bolden. The murder weapon, a knife, was found in the stolen car. Both Soria and Lagunas faced charges; Lagunas pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Soria was tried for capital murder and subsequently sentenced to death.

Over the years, Soria's mental health deteriorated while he was in prison. He attacked a 78-year-old prison chaplain with a razor blade in June 2000, nearly severing the chaplain's arm. As a result, Soria was placed in a psychiatric unit.

Soria's execution by lethal injection was scheduled for July 26, 2000. In his final moments, he spoke of divine love and Allah. He was pronounced dead at 6:27 PM that evening.