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: 14-38057
Date Reported: September 15, 2014
VICTIM DETAILS
Name John Doe 1
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 8800 Tex-Mex
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office
CCR: 2014-00008696
Date Reported: February 4, 2014
VICTIM DETAILS
Name David Means
Age 22
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name 23-year-old Joseph Espinoza, 23-year-old Hector Nicolas Medina-Castillo and 23-year-old Luz Aurora Rivera-Ibarra
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 4800 block of La Vista Avenue
McAllen Texas, 78501
Hidalgo County
L.E.A McAllen Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding three people who have been identified as suspects in connection to a deadly weekend home invasion in McAllen. A home invasion off the 4800 block of La Vista Avenue left Arturo Hinojosa and David Means dead on Saturday night. McAllen police reported on Tuesday morning that three suspects have been identified. Investigators are looking for 23-year-old Joseph Espinoza on murder and aggravated robbery charges. Espinoza was last seen driving a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe. McAllen police also reported that 23-year-old Hector Nicolas Medina-Castillo is also wanted on murder and possession of marijuana charges. A third suspect identified as 23-year-old Luz Aurora Rivera-Ibarra is wanted on a possession of marijuana charge. Investigators say two more suspects only known by their nicknames "El Cholo" and "Boxer" still need to be identified. Anyone with information about the suspects or the case is asked to call McAllen Crime Stoppers at (956) 687-TIPS or (956) 687-8477
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: May 12, 2005
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Alberto Castaneda
Age 74
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: 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: 04-01590
Date Reported: January 19, 2004
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Hugo Cabrera
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 3815 La Homita Rd
Mission TX, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: Unknown
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Alfredo Garcia Brito
Age 34
Gender Male
Race African American/Black
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Brownsville Texas, 78520
Cameron
L.E.A Cameron Co. Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

The body of a 34-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds in the trunk of a car, 22 years later his murder remains unsolved. Credit: Cameron County Sheriff’s Office Alfredo Garcia Brito, 34, was reported missing to the Brownsville Police Department on Saturday, May 22, 1999, by his mother. On Sunday, the Cameron County Sheriffs’ office came across an abandoned car, a White Chevrolet Celebrity, on the outskirts of Brownsville. The abandoned car was later towed and placed in an impound lot. The owner of Raymond’s Wrecker reported a “foul unbearable smell” coming from the car on May 26, 1999, according to a release from the Cameron County Sheriffs Office.
CCR: 17-29602
Date Reported: July 26, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name John Doe 12
Gender Female
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Aristeo Garcia Cervantes
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location 8029 Dallas St.
Edcouch Texas, 78538
Hidalgo
L.E.A HCSO

Cold Case Spotlight

Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra announced Thursday that a 40-year-old Edcouch man recently confessed to killing a woman and dumping her body in a septic tank. Aristeo Garcia Cervantes, 40, of Edcouch confessed to killing a woman and hiding her body in a septic tank, Guerra said Thursday morning during a news conference at the Sheriff’s Office. Cervantes said he killed the woman roughly 10 to 12 years ago and didn’t remember her name, Guerra said, adding that investigators believe the murder occurred in 2004... The Sheriff’s Office started investigating the murder on July 26, 2017, when someone called to report human remains in a septic tank, Guerra said. Investigators went to a home near Edcouch, where Cervantes’ daughter and her boyfriend said they’d been having problems with the septic tank. When the boyfriend and another man attempted to fix the problem, they found a woman’s boot in the septic tank, Guerra said. After they removed the boot, they found a large bone — and called the Sheriff’s Office. Investigators sent the body to a private forensic lab in Virginia for DNA testing, Guerra said. The Sheriff’s Office researched missing women and welfare concerns during the time period, attempting to identify the woman. Investigators are currently talking with a family.
CCR: 02-25785
Date Reported: October 18, 2002
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Charles l. Berny
Age 72
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location S. Canton Rd. on Tower Rd.
Edinburg Texas, 78542
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo CO. Sherriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

EDINBURG - Charles "Bud" L. Berny, 72, died, Friday, October 18, 2002, at his residence in Edinburg. He was born June 22, 1930 in Edinburg, Texas. Bud graduated from Edinburg High School and Edinburg Jr. College. He farmed with his father until his father's death where he continued on his own until retirement about two years ago.
CCR: 17-18620
Date Reported: May 8, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Anastacio Rocha Jr.
Age 37
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Juan David Garcia
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location 3898 Gladiola Dr
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A HCSO

Cold Case Spotlight

Friends found a 37-year-old San Carlos man dead late Monday night northwest of Edinburg. Family members called the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office at about 7:30 p.m. Monday to report Anastacio Rocha, 37, of San Carlos hadn’t returned home, said Sheriff Eddie Guerra. They also called OnStar, the vehicle tracking and roadside assistance service, which provided a GPS location for Rocha’s car. Four friends went to the location near Big Five Road and Mile 14, where they found Rocha dead in the car, Guerra said. Investigators haven’t said where, exactly, Rochas was located in the car when they found him. Investigators determined Rocha suffered what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head, Guerra said. The Sheriff’s Office is treating Rocha’s death as a homicide.
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.