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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167 cases found.
CCR: 99-18929
Date Reported: November 3, 1999
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Juan Luis Garza Alaniz
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location North of 9 North on 6 1/2 West
Weslaco Texas, 78596
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: August 21, 2011
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Antonio Villegas, Jr
Age 20
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Missing Person (Presumed Murdered)
Cause Undisclosed
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Unknown
Mission Texas, 78572
Hidalgo County
L.E.A Mission Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

Antonio "Tony" Villegas Jr. Age: 20 Years Old Height: 5'6" Weight: 175 lbs. Last seen: Went Missing on Sunday, August 21, 2011, in South Mission. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, khaki shorts, and White Nike Sneakers. He has tattoos, including one that says "Death Before Honor" on his calf. Villegas, 20, disappeared on Aug. 21, 2011, left his home around 4 a.m. and wasn’t seen or heard from again until 9 a.m. Investigators found the clothes of a man who may have been kidnapped by illegal immigrants in Mission. The search for 20-year-old Antonio Villegas, Jr. continues after he did not return to his home in Alton early this week. Mission police are investigating the case while authorities, family members and volunteers search an area of brush in a southern part of the city. Authorities found Villegas' clothes on Tuesday morning. They are still treating the search as a rescue mission. Tong dial 911 at least 15 times on Sunday. The Alton man claimed to have been forced or abducted by a group of illegal immigrants. Anyone with information about Villegas' whereabouts is asked to call Mission Crime Stoppers at (956) 581-8477.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: April 26, 2006
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Efrian Garcia
Age 55
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Reynosa Mexico
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Unknown
Reynosa State of Tamaulipas, 88500
Unknown
L.E.A Mexican Police

Efrain Garcia was murder on April 26, 2006, in Reynosa Mexico after receiving a call for his pest control business. He and a coworker responded to the call for service as they approach the location in entering a Cul-de-sac in a business district in Reynosa Mexico. His co-worker jumped out of the truck and fled the scene. As shots were fired striking Efrain multiple times killing him instead. No Justice. No Peace.
CCR: 11-07606
Date Reported: February 24, 2011
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Juan Antonio Flores
Age 47
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 7610 Wagon Trail
Mission Texas, 78574
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. 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: March 13, 1993
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Victoria Ybarra
Age 29
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Kenyon Rd & Mile 19
Edinburg TX, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

Two decades have passed since a devoted mother of three was found dead in a field near the city of Edinburg. Her oldest daughter was only 7 years old at the time of her death. Victoria Ybarra was described as a beautiful 29-year-old who lived in Edinburg. But her death remains unsolved. The year was 1993. On March 13, two teenagers were driving around Kenyon Road and Mile 19 in the city of Edinburg. While hunting, the two boys discovered Ybarra’s body in a field and called authorities.
CCR: 04-27413
Date Reported: October 9, 2004
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Donald Gary Hargett
Age 61
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location P.O. Box 289
Linn Texas, 78563
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office

CCR: Unknown
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Alan E. Bossom
Age 34
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Robindale Road and FM 3248
Brownsville Texas, 78520
Cameron
L.E.A Cameron Co. Sheriff's Office

Cold Case Spotlight

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (KVEO) — This month marked 31 years since the murder of Alan E. Bossom was discovered. After a long day, many people can relate to feeling sluggish while driving home, so when a passerby reported a man asleep at the wheel they did not think that the man could be found dead. On July 4, 1990, Alan E. Bossom was found dead at the wheel of a vehicle at the intersection of Robindale Road and FM 3248 in Brownsville. Bossom had been in town for a couple of days before being discovered murdered. Chief Deputy at the time, Carlos Tapia, reported what sheriff’s deputies had seen when having responded to the crime scene. Tapia stated “they found Bossom inside a 1977 Chevrolet station wagon, slumped over the steering wheel,” according to an article from the Valley Morning Star. Deputies believed the man was asleep, however, after further observation, it became clear that Bossom had been murdered. Bossom had suffered a gunshot wound to his head. He was officially pronounced dead at the scene by the Justice of the Peace at the time, Tony Torres. Investigation revealed that family members did not know he was in town. This investigation remains active and no arrests have been made.
CCR: 97-14339
Date Reported: September 18, 1997
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Unknown
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location East of FM 1423
Donna Tx, 78537
L.E.A Hidalgo County 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.