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: 94-11998
Date Reported: May 10, 1994
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Unknown
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1 mile E of tower on Owassa
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: May 12, 2005
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Reynaldo Castaneda
Age 52
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Mile 10 N and Mile 1 W
Mercedes Texas, 78570
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

When deputies arrived, they discovered the bodies of 52-year-old Reynaldo Castaneda and 74-year-old Alberto Castaneda. Newspaper archives indicate that the men were a father and his son. 74-year-old, Alberto Castaneda At the time, authorities said there was clear evidence of foul play. In January 2021 the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information about the double homicide to come forward.
CCR: 97-17823
Date Reported: November 27, 1997
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Andres Rios
Age 51
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Doolittle Rd
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

CCR: 06-22986
Date Reported: July 3, 2006
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Juan Alvarado
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location South of Bus 83 on Scott Lane West on Daniel
Mission TX, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: January 22, 1993
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Yolanda Moya
Age 33
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 824 Louisiana Ave.
Weslaco Texas, 78596
Hidalgo County
L.E.A Weslaco Police Department

Yolanda Moya was just 33 years-old who failed to report to work at Neunanas & Company local farm company in the early morning of January 22, 1993. A family member went to her new house located at 824 S. Louisiana Avenue looking for her. She was inside the home with a gunshot wound to her chin/neck area, and her body was half burned. She was doused in gasoline and set afire. No Justice. No Peace.
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: Unknown
Date Reported: March 18, 1990
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Paulo Benavidez
Age 30
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
L.E.A Cameron County Sheriff's Dept

Cold Case Spotlight

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Bystanders called authorities when they found a vehicle on the side of the road; headlights still on and motor still running. Inside the vehicle, deputies found a man with a gunshot wound to his head. Over 30 years later, the case remains unsolved. On Thursday, March 18, 1990, authorities received a call about a suspicious vehicle on Charmaine Lane in Brownsville. The car was a brown Thunderbird with Florida license plates. The vehicle’s motor was still running with its headlights on when authorities arrived. Deputies approached the vehicle and found 30-year-old Paulo Benavidez slumped over the steering wheel, lifeless. He had a gunshot wound to his head from what former Sheriff Alex Perez called “a large caliber gun.” Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Cameron County Crime Stoppers at (956) 350-5551.
CCR: 99-15473
Date Reported: September 14, 1999
VICTIM DETAILS
Name unknown
Age 33
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location North of expressway 83 on old Post Office Road
sullivan City Tx, 78595
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

CCR: 88-13724
Date Reported: August 14, 1988
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Unknown
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/2 mile north of Balli on Steward Rd.
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

CCR: 14-45067
Date Reported: November 4, 2014
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Roy Vela Cantu
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 4815 MILE 9
McAllen Texas, 78501
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office

Roy Vela Cantu was fatally shot on November 4th, 2014 on Mile 9 in McAllen Texas.