Omar Villafranca
CBS News
Omar Villafranca is a CBS News correspondent based in Dallas, Texas.
Villafranca has reported for CBS News on the ground at the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, and along the destructive path of Hurricanes Harvey and Maria. Villafranca has been part of CBS News' multi-platform, multi-broadcast coverage of the shooting of five police officers in Dallas. He has also covered legislative sessions in Texas and Oklahoma and followed Rick Perry and Ron Paul on their presidential campaigns.
He joined CBS News in January 2014 as a correspondent for Newspath, CBS News' 24-hour newsgathering service for CBS stations and broadcasters around the world.
Before CBS, Villafranca worked at KXAS-TV Dallas-Fort Worth, where he had been a reporter since January 2008.
Previously, Villafranca served as an anchor and reporter at KOTV-TV the CBS affiliate in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at KSWO-TV in Lawton, Oklahoma. While there, his investigation into unsuspecting renters and homeowners moving into toxic homes that were once methamphetamine labs led officials to create legislation to protect residents.
Villafranca was born in San Antonio, Texas, and earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Texas Christian University. He lives with his wife and daughter in Dallas.