Former Canyon Lake Youth Soccer Club coach Justin Ray Villareal, 43, will spend the rest of his life behind bars without possibility of parole after the Third Court of Appeals on Oct. 26 affirmed his September 2024 convictions for the yearslong sexual abuse of a child.
Once described as a “loving, involved parent, the last person you would suspect,” Villareal was convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a young child and two counts of sexual assault of a child.
He elected to be sentenced by the same jury that heard testimony from the victim, who faced him in court and recounted how Villareal sexually abused her over the course of many years.
In his appeal to Third Court of Appeals, Villareal contended Judge Dib Waldrip of the 433rd District Court erred when the court allowed a redacted version of a report by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) to be admitted.
The report included five statements made by the victim to the nurse that were included in the “history” section of the report.
Villareal’s lawyer argued those five statements were inadmissible hearsay that do not fall within the exceptions for medical diagnosis and treatment or for an outcry statement and thus are inadmissible “bolstering.”
“Because this issue is not preserved for review, we will affirm the trial court’s judgments of conviction,” the appellate court said in its memorandum opinion.
In November 2020, sources with immediate knowledge of the events leading up to Villareal’s arrest said charges were filed in May 2020 following a “precipitating” incident at Lake Sommerville State Park & Trailway.
Villareal allegedly tried to molest a 17-year-old boy who fled the scene in Villareal’s truck. A second victim, a girl, came forward after that incident and described ongoing sexual abuse.