Rio Grande Valley Friends and Families of Murdered Children

Rio Grande Valley Friends and Families of Murdered Children

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RIO PROJECT COLD CASE (HOMICIDE) DATABASE

This database will consist of unsolved homicides.  The Rio Grande Valley database will be composed of the four-county area: 1) Hidalgo, 2) Cameron, 3) Starr and 4) Willacy counties. All victims are submitted by law enforcement or the victims' families. Additional counties will be added to this database as time and funding permit. Keeping your loved one's case in the PUBLIC EYE is a good thing.

To submit your loved one for consideration please Fill out form Case Summary Form. Rio Project Cold Case is not a private investigative firm.

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150 cases found.
CCR: 03-7374
Date Reported: April 1, 2003
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Norma Alvarez
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 8 1/2 north Bentsen Palm drive
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office
CCR: 90-10085
Date Reported: July 12, 1990
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Irenino Salinas Alonzo
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1 3/10 south of mile 5N on mile 9 west
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: May 23, 1990
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Laura Guerra
Age 22
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1111 W. Main Street.
RIO MOTEL
Rio Grande City Texas, 78582
Starr County
L.E.A Starr County Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

On May 23rd, 1990, the dead body of Laura Guerra,22, was found in a wooded area across the road from the Rio Motel in Rio Grande City. The RIO MOTEL is located at 1111 W. Main Street. Investigators believe that Guerra was murdered at another location, possibly at the motel, and that her body was dumped in the wooded area. Autopsy results indicate that Guerra was killed three days earlier by a gunshot wound to the head. Several clues were followed, but the case went cold. Texas Rangers and the Starr County Sheriff’s Office have reopened this case, and are seeking the public’s help for information to help identify Guerra’s killer. Investigators believe that a possible witness may have information on this crime, and are asking for the public’s help in identifying a person known in the area, in 1990, known as "Gaston Garza," or "Mariano".
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: 88-20798
Date Reported: December 16, 1988
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Charles McCumber
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location E. of Mile 2 1/2 E. Mile 6 3/4 N.
Mercedes Texas, 78570
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: August 25, 2002
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Enedelia Benavides
Age 26
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 6315 N. Gold Avenue
Trailer House located in the 6300 block of Gold Avenue
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo County
L.E.A Edinburg Police Department
On August 25, 2002, at approximately 2:00 am the suspect(s) enter the residence and fatally shot Michael and Enedelia. The killings mystified Edinburg Police Department investigators and who have no clues who committed the murders of Jason Buckelew and his common-law wife, Enedelia Benavidez, 26, who were from Houston, Texas. They both were shot in the head located at 6315 Gold Avenue in Edinburg, Texas. Jason died shortly after at the Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas and she died in San Antonio Texas Hospital. There was a third victim, Esmeralda Reyes, 26, who survived and remained in critical condition at the San Antonio hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. BENAVIDES and BUCKELEW were deaf and mute.This case remains unsolved. No Justice. No Peace.
CCR: 13-43712
Date Reported: November 2, 2013
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Eleazar Padilla Jr.
Age 28
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 5300 Blk Coyote Circle
Mission Texas, 78574
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

28-year-old Eleazar Padilla Jr. ended up at the hospital in a coma hours after he was shot. Two weeks later, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support. He leaves behind a wife and five children...
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: January 8, 1973
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Candyce Fletcher-Mora
Age 23
Gender Female
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Knife/Stabbing
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 411 Lozano
Harlingen Texas, 78550
Cameron County
L.E.A Harlingen Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

In the morning hours of January 8th, 1973, the dead body of Candyce Fletcher-Mora has discovered in her apartment located at 411 Lozano in Harlingen, Texas, in the North Star Village Apartments. The autopsy revealed that Candyce was stabbed numerous times. Candyce was the mother of a two-year-old daughter. Candyce's daughter was located unharmed inside the apartment where Candyce was murdered.
CCR: 89-12766
Date Reported: August 14, 1989
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Jesus Manuel Gonzalez
Age 28
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/4 Mile E of FM 3071 on SH 107
Elsa Texas, 78538
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: 01-19446
Date Reported: September 14, 2001
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Unknown
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Suspicious Death
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 13 1/2 miles north Conway
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office