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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1 cases found.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: September 6, 1988
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Arnaldo Garza Sr.
Age 45
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 822 W Wisconsin Rd
Edinburg Texas , 78539
Hidalgo County
L.E.A Edinburg Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Edinburg family paid $70,000 for the safe return of their loved one only to have him discovered decomposed in a sugarcane field. Three decades later, Arnaldo Garza’s murder remains unsolved. Garza was a husband and welder, known for starting A&A Welding. The 46-year-old man was taken from his home and used as ransom on November 6, 1988, according to Texas DPS. His family received a call stating that Garza had been kidnapped, demanding money to be delivered to Reynosa, Mexico. Reporting the disappearance to authorities, the family delivered the $70,000 in ransom to an individual in Reynosa. Raul Garza, the Assistant Chief of the Edinburg Police Department at the time, immediately advised the kidnapping to the FBI. Additionally, the family reported the payment to officials. Reports at the time stated that “the family awaited an additional demand for delivery of money and return of Garza with completion of the ransom payment.” However, no further word was ever received. On November 17, 1988, Garza’s body was discovered “badly decomposed” in a sugarcane field near Moore Air Field in Edinburg, according to reports at the time in the Valley Morning Star. The following Wednesday, Garza’s wife identified his body through identification of clothing. Edinburg police also verified identity through dental records. Texas DPS asks anyone with information to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip HERE. Texas Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $3,000 to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of the person/persons responsible for this crime.