Body of Texas veteran suspected of killing as many as six people to be exhumed from his military grave
The body of a Texas war veteran suspected of killing as many as six people will be exhumed from his military grave.
Fernando Cota, who was convicted of rape in 1975 and released in 1983, took his own life and was buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Prompted by a campaign launched by the son of one of the victims, a new bill was introduced by Texas Senator John Cornyn and cosponsored by Senator Ted Cruz, which will see the Cota’s body disinterred.
The bill was signed into law late last month as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
“Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is a sacred resting place for more than 170,000 respected veterans and their loved ones, and it would be a slap in the face to each one of them to allow Fernando Cota, a convicted rapist and alleged serial murderer, to remain buried amongst such heroes,” Cornyn said in a statement.
“This law rightfully directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter Cota’s remains from Fort Sam Houston to be in-keeping with current law and deliver justice for victims’ families.”
An exact date for Cota’s exhumation has not been confirmed.
According to Cornyn’s office, Cota was drafted into the U.S. Army and fought in the Vietnam War, but upon his return, faced multiple sexual assault allegations and was the prime suspect in the murders of six women in San Jose, California.
He was ultimately convicted of attacking a nurse by binding and raping her in 1975 and was jailed for almost two decades.
One year later, he was stopped by police officers while driving erratically, leading him to commit suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police found a wooden box in his van with the corpse of a young woman, later identified as 21-year-old Kim Marie Dunham, who had gone missing the day before, Cornyn’s office said.
Following his death, police received a search warrant for Cota’s home, where investigators found a small closet where he would torture his victims. On the walls inside the closet, detectives found many fingerprints, which were sent for examination to identify other potential victims.
Investigators also found fake ID cards, a false police badge, numerous women’s blouses, six pairs of women’s shoes, and advertisements for tenants, which Cota posted on San Jose State University’s campus to invite local students to rent a room in his apartment.
During the investigation, six girls were identified as victims – all killed by being strangled, stabbed, or beaten to death.
The victims were identified as Teresa Sunder, 29, Kelly Ralston, 21, Gwendolyn Hoffman, 57, Lori Miller, 20, Joan Leslie, 28, and Kim Dunham, 21. The petition to enact the bill was started by Sunder’s son, John McCausland.
“This petition is not just about one man—Fernando Cota—but about the sanctity of our national cemeteries and the respect we owe to our veterans,” McCausland wrote. “It’s about ensuring that the final resting places of our heroes are protected from those who have violated the trust and duty that come with serving this country.
“Fernando Cota’s burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is an affront to all those who have honorably served in the military. He does not belong among them. His actions, crimes, and the pain he caused are incompatible with the values and sacrifices of our fallen heroes.
“We stand for the dignity and memory of those who served. We stand for the victims of criminals like Cota. And we stand for the future of our national cemeteries—ensuring that they remain a place of honor, not a place for the dishonorable. This is about justice, respect, and the memory of our veterans.”
