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Missy Grubaugh, Luis Arroyo: ‘Betrayed’ On ID Covers Arlington, Texas, Murder Of College-Coed Found Dead In 1994 Apartment Fire

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 05:54 PST, Aug 31, 2016

Missy Grubaugh was a 19-year-old student from Arlington, Texas, who was murdered by her neighbor, Luis Arroyo, 22 years ago. This week, her case will be highlighted on ID’s TV crime series Betrayed. Her devastating story will be told by family members and police officials who investigated the case.

The Investigation Discovery episode featuring Missy Elaine Grubaugh’s story is “The Devil You Know.” In that episode, police arrive at a Texas apartment complex and are met by a blazing fire that has destroyed several apartments in its path. Once they begin sifting through the ashes, they find the body of a college coed who they realize was murdered before the fire was set.

Naked Body Found In Arlington Apartment Fire

According to Investigation Discovery’s Betrayed, it was in April of 1994 that police received a call about a fire at the Holly Park Apartments on West Mayfield Road. The fire was furious and blazed through eight apartments. Hours after the fire was extinguished, police were allowed to go inside, where they located the charred body of a white female. She was naked, and her legs dangled off of the bed with her underwear pulled down and hanging from one ankle. The woman was identified as 19-year-old Missy Grubaugh, a University of Texas student, NBC-5 reported.

Investigators notified her family and learned that the young woman worked two jobs to help pay for college and her living expenses. One job was at the local Pizza Hut. The other job was at the Spaghetti Warehouse, where Missy Grubaugh worked as a waitress. It was tough on her, but she was determined to become a math teacher, according to friends and family.

A Suspect No One Suspected

Their investigation included interviewing everyone who knew her, including close friends, family members, and her workmates. They wanted to know if anyone knew anything about who would want to kill Missy Grubaugh. A number of likely suspects were interviewed, but no arrests were made.

It was one month after the murder that they were directed back to someone they had already interviewed, a married Hispanic man named Luis Arroyo. DNA linked the 32-year-old husband and father to the sexual assault of Missy Grubaugh, who had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, according to autopsy findings.

Court records found at Justicia U.S. Law provide more details.

“1. Defendant admits that he engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim.

2. Prior DNA testing showed that Defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim.

3. Defendant confessed to stabbing the victim.

4. Defendant knew where the murder weapon was located.”

The investigation revealed that Missy Grubaugh was acquainted with Luis Arroyo and had even worked as a babysitter on the side for his family. No one suspected Luis Arroyo, who was considered a dedicated family man and a hard worker. His arrest shocked his family and friends, including his pregnant wife.

Missy’s Innocence Was Her Undoing

People who knew and loved Missy Grubaugh say that she was a sweet but naive woman who trusted everyone, including Luis Arroyo, who ended up betraying her in the worst way possible. Her profile memory found at Find a Grave reads this way.

“Missy Grubaugh was the daughter of Tony Rand Grubaugh and Patty Jeanne (nee McIlhaney) Grubaugh. She was working 2 part time jobs to pay her way through college. She even took a semester off to save up money for her tuition. One of her jobs was at the Spaghetti Warehouse. She was a devout Christian with high moral values.”

A Texas jury found Luis Arroyo guilty of capital murder and sentenced him to life in prison, where he remains today. In addition to tonight’s show, Missy Grubaugh’s story was aired on ID’s Unusual Suspects. Watch Betrayed tonight at 9 p.m. on the Investigation Discovery Channel (ID). Last week, Betrayed aired the heartbreaking story of Susan Daniels Smith.

[Photo by Craig Ruttle/AP Images]

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