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: Unknown
Date Reported: October 17, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Mario Alberto Garza
Age 17
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Missing Person (Presumed Murdered)
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location La Sagunada Road, about four miles west of Farm-to-Market-Road 755.
Rio Grande City Texas, 78582
Starr County
L.E.A Starr County Sheriff’s Office

Cold Case Spotlight

The Starr County Sheriff’s Office along with Texas Rangers are asking for the public’s help in locating two missing brothers. On, Mario Alberto Garza, 17, and Rosvel Garza, 19 were reported missing by their family. The two brothers were last seen by friends on October 18, 2017, in a gray Dodge Dakota extended cab pickup. Through the investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle, 2005 Dodge Dakota, was found abandoned and burnt in the woods near La Sagunada Road near Farm-to-Market Road 755. Anyone with information or knows the whereabouts of Mario Alberto Garza and Rosbel Garza are encouraged to contact the Starr County Sheriff’s Office at (956) 487-5571.
CCR: 03-19852
Date Reported: August 17, 2003
VICTIM DETAILS
Name John Doe 10
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unkown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location N. of 4 Mile Line on Inspiration Rd.
Mission Texas, 78503
Hidalgo
L.E.A HCSO

CCR: 12-13023
Date Reported: April 3, 2012
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Yasmin Jove
Age 18
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: 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: 88-6941
Date Reported: April 23, 1988
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Hector Alaniz
Age 24
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Jackson & FM 1925
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

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: 99-5930
Date Reported: April 6, 1999
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Rogelio Riojas
Age 43
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Knife/Stabbing
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 2nd mobile home E. of 6 1/2
Weslaco Texas, 78596
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

CCR: 17-31402
Date Reported: August 8, 2017
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Olga Espinosa
Age 30
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Alvaro Medrano
Offense Hit and Run
Cause Beaten/Battered
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location 24576 N Sunflower Rd
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
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.
CCR: 12-20528
Date Reported: May 23, 2012
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Nora Lee Garcia
Age 37
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Miguel Garcia
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location United States
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location 10305 Ramon Ave.
Mission Texas, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office
CCR: 11-39560
Date Reported: September 19, 2011
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Artemio Olivares Garza
Age 49
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location N. of Exp. on El Pinto W. on La Pinta
Sullivan City Texas, 78595
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office