Tomas Mateo

Murder of Amarillo Pastor Tomas Mateo Remains Unsolved

Tomas Mateo, a 32-year-old pastor, was found dead outside a north Amarillo residence on December 9, 2019. His killing remains unsolved, and authorities have not publicly disclosed how he died.

At approximately 8:10 a.m., Amarillo police responded to the 900 block of North Johnson Street after someone reported a man lying outside a home. Officers initially believed Mateo had been shot, but further examination left his cause of death unclear. Police first classified the case as a suspicious death before changing it to a homicide investigation.^[1]

Mateo was found near the church where he served as pastor. His family said his childhood dream was to preach and bring people closer to God. He reportedly helped establish three churches—one in Amarillo and two in Colorado—and hoped to travel around the world preaching.^[2]

Relatives remembered Mateo as joyful, generous and encouraging. His sister Ana said he frequently assisted people in need, including helping with rent or temporary hotel accommodations even when he had little money himself. She described him as a brother, father figure, mentor and best friend.^[3]

No suspect, motive or definitive cause of death has been publicly announced. Anyone with information may contact the Amarillo Police Department Homicide Unit at 806-378-9468 or Amarillo Crime Stoppers anonymously at 806-374-4400.