Rio Grande Valley Friends and Families of Murdered Children

Rio Grande Valley Friends and Families of Murdered Children

Proudly Introduces the RIO PROJECT COLD CASE HOMICIDE DATABASE: A Regional Initiative to Spotlight Unsolved Murders and Amplify the Voices of Victims and Their Families

The Rio Grande Valley Families and Friends of Murdered Children (RGV-FFOMC) is honored to announce the launch of the Rio Project Cold Case Homicide Database—a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to centralize and bring public attention to unsolved homicide cases throughout the Rio Grande Valley. This comprehensive and publicly accessible database will be a powerful tool for elevating awareness, supporting grieving families, and encouraging renewed investigative efforts.

Phase I – County Coverage:
The initial rollout will include unsolved homicide cases submitted from the following four counties:
  • Hidalgo County
  • Cameron County
  • Starr County
  • Willacy County

Each entry will be verified and submitted by either:
  • Local law enforcement agencies, or
  • Surviving family members seeking to keep their loved one’s memory alive and case visible.
RGV-FFOMC plans to expand the database to include additional counties across the region as resources allow.

Why This Matters:
Keeping a homicide victim’s case in the public eye not only honors their memory but also increases the likelihood of generating new leads, witnesses, or information that may help bring justice—visibility matters. Awareness saves cases.

How to Submit a Case:
Families or law enforcement agencies wishing to submit an unsolved homicide case for inclusion may do so by completing the official Case Summary -
Cold Case Submission - Google Forms

Submission Form. Submission does not guarantee immediate inclusion; all entries are subject to verification and review.

⚠️ Please Note:

Rio Project Cold Case is not a private investigative service. This initiative is strictly for public awareness and advocacy purposes. All investigative matters remain under the jurisdiction of the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

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167 cases found.
CCR: 17-01892
Date Reported: January 14, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Kim Avila Martinez
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 6217 ITHACA
Donna Texas, 78537
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office
CCR: 17-01-004
Date Reported: January 1, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Juan Manuel Belmarez
Age 35
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Jose Borrego St and Hwy 107
Edcouch Texas, 78538
Hidalgo County
L.E.A Edcouch Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

Texas Rangers Lead the Homicide Investigation in the murder of Juan Manuel Belmarez. The murder and shooting death of Juan Manuel Belmarez occur on Reyes St. and South Ave in Edcouch. A white SUV suburban was stopped in the middle of the street with riddle with bullet holes through the front windshields. The murder took place around 7:00 pm on Sunday. The family wants Justice for Juan Belmarez.
CCR: 12-13023
Date Reported: April 3, 2012
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Sandra Alcazar
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 10680 N. La Homa
Mission TX, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: 11-39412
Date Reported: September 18, 2011
VICTIM DETAILS
Name John Doe 7 AKA: Niero
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location San Bernardino Dr.
Alamo Texas, 78516
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: 98-00711
Date Reported: January 12, 1998
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Josefat Rodriguez
Gender Female
Race African American/Black
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location between 5 1/2 and 6 west of 12 north
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriffs Office
CCR: 02-15094
Date Reported: June 22, 2002
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Jesus Chavez
Age 24
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/2 Mile E of Raul Longoria on Trenton Rd
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
Almost 2 decades and Jesus Chavez's murder has not been solved, he will forever be in our thoughts and prayers. No Justice, No Peace.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: April 26, 2006
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Efrian Garcia
Age 55
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Reynosa Mexico
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Unknown
Reynosa State of Tamaulipas, 88500
Unknown
L.E.A Mexican Police
Efrain Garcia was murder on April 26, 2006, in Reynosa Mexico after receiving a call for his pest control business. He and a coworker responded to the call for service as they approach the location in entering a Cul-de-sac in a business district in Reynosa Mexico. His co-worker jumped out of the truck and fled the scene. As shots were fired striking Efrain multiple times killing him instead. No Justice. No Peace.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: July 29, 2005
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Ruben “Yiyo” Tarin de Patino
Age 21
Gender Transgender
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Hit and Run
Cause Beaten/Battered
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location E. Wisconsin Rd.
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

August marks 15 years since Ruben “Yiyo” Tarin de Patino was found murdered. Yiyo, 21, was found dead East of Wisconsin Road in the city of Edinburg in 2005. “He was found burned,” said Hermelinda Chavez with the Hidalgo County Major Crimes Unit. Yiyo was described by family and friends as confident and proud. “She was described as a person who didn’t like to hide her lifestyle,” said Chavez. “She was never ashamed of how she dressed and she was very outgoing with a lot of friends.” Yiyo was last seen by her mother on July 27. She had met several friends and her sister during the day and assisted another friend with car trouble. Yiyo came home and told her mother she was meeting yet another friend, this was around midnight. “She would visit a lot of nightclubs around the area, McAllen and Edinburg,” said Chavez. “She was not aggressive but definitely defended herself.” Chavez added all of the friends that Yiyo met on July 27 were interviewed and had alibis. Investigators and family never confirmed who she had met, according to Chavez. “Family never knew who she met, it was never confirmed,” said Chavez.
CCR: 02-9484
Date Reported: April 21, 2002
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Celedonio Solis
Age 21
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Beaten/Battered
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1 mile N of FM 1925 on Big Five Rd.
Edinburg TX, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
Celedonio was murdered along with two others on April 21st, 2002. This case remains unsolved, 2 decades have passed and nothing has been done. No Justice, No Peace.
CCR: 17-31402
Date Reported: August 8, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Irene Espinosa
Age 52
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Alvaro Medrano
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location 24576 N Sunflower Rd
Edinburg Texas, 78539
L.E.A HCSO

Cold Case Spotlight

A 47-year-old man has been charged with capital murder after authorities say he confessed to shooting and killing two women in rural Edinburg on Tuesday evening. Alvaro Medrano, 47, of Edcouch was charged with capital murder, a capitol felony, on Wednesday. A Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace set bond at $2 million. At about 6:48 p.m. on Tuesday, Sheriff’s deputies responded to an area near Sunflower Road in rural Edinburg in “reference to a 911 caller reporting that he had shot his wife“, according to a news release from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies located Medrano as he was walking away from the location, and detained him without incident near Farm-to-Market Road 493 and Farm-to-Market Road 2812, according to the news release. When deputies responded to the Medrano’s residence, they found two female bodies inside of a vehicle with gunshot wounds to the head. The bodies were identified as Medrano’s wife, 30-year-old Olga Espinosa, and Medrano’s mother-in-law, 52-year-old Irene Espinosa, according to the news release. Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office investigators and Crime Scene Specialists collected evidence from the scene, including the handgun that was used in the shootings, according to the news release. After an investigation, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office “learned that Medrano had streamed his confession on Facebook Live, while walking away from the crime scene,” according to the news release. Investigators are working with the Facebook Law Enforcement Compliance Department to preserve the livestream as evidence. During an interview, Medrano confessed to killing his wife and mother-in-law in a domestic disturbance due to infidelity, according to the news release. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who may be a victim of domestic violence to seek help from their respective law enforcement agencies.