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: Unknown
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Efren "Pipo" Quiroz Jr.
Age 33
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Fidencio Castillo
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Expressway 83 and Val Verde Road
Donna Texas, 78537
Hidalgo
L.E.A Donna Police Department

Cold Case Spotlight

DONNA – Police are searching for a 38-year-old suspect involved in a fatal shooting. The incident happened at a Stripes Store on Expressway 83 and Val Verde Road. Donna Police Cpt. Rick Suarez told CHANNEL 5 NEWS 35-year-old Efren Quiroz Jr., of Alamo, was shot Saturday night. He said the suspect, identified as Fidencio Castillo, zeroed in on the victim while he walked out of the store. He fired a couple of shots at Quiroz, hitting him once in the back, according to Suarez. Police issued out a warrant to arrest Castillo on murder charges. Suarez says on Monday, officers and U.S. Marshals searched his Alamo residence. Police say the crime doesn't appear to be random. Both the suspect and victim are believed to have known each other. Authorities are also looking for a 2008 Dodge Ram with license plate number, KCF-3128. If you have any information, you're asked to call Donna Crime Stoppers at 464-8477. If the tip leads to an arrest, you're eligible for a $1,000 reward.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: June 5, 2001
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Genaro Melendez
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) — A 30-year-old man survived a kidnapping only to be captured and murdered a few years later, authorities continue to look for his murderer two decades later. As the lone survivor in a drug-related kidnapping, Genaro Melendez believed he was in the clear for years but he was kidnapped again in 2001. Melendez was lured into a vehicle at approximately 2:30 a.m. on June 5, 2001, to never again be seen alive. A few days later Melendez’s body was discovered in an empty field, near Boca Chica Beach. His body was found “tied up and had sustained three shots through the head,” according to Cameron County Sheriff at the time, Conrado M Cantu. Sheriff Cantu told reporters from the Brownsville Herald that Melendez’s body appeared to have been killed “execution-style.” The investigation revealed that Melendez’s murder was drug-related. The Cameron County Sheriffs Office does have a person of interest in this case, however, no arrests have been made and the case remains active. If you have any information on this case, please call the Cameron County Crime Stoppers at their hotline: (866)-350-5551 or (956)-350-5551.
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: 91-15956
Date Reported: September 18, 1991
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Unknown
Gender Unknown
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/4 mile West of FM2521 on Military Rd
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office
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: 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: 04-18832
Date Reported: July 17, 2004
VICTIM DETAILS
Name John Doe 9
Gender Male
Race Unknown
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Beaten/Battered
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location S. Mile 3 on FM 492
Palmview Texas, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: Unknown
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Juan Elias Ramirez
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name "Border Bandits"
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location Brownsville Texas, 78520
Cameron
L.E.A Brownsville Police Dept.

Cold Case Spotlight

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The murder of a small business owner believed to have been robbed and killed by the “border bandits,” remains unsolved 28 years later. On March 26, 1993, at around 8 a.m., the body of Juan Elias Ramirez was found by the Brownsville Public Utilities water plant. Juan Elias Ramirez was the owner of a local store that was known for selling sodas and chips in Matamoros. Ramirez’s body was discovered with a single gunshot in the back, authorities believe that the gun was a 9mm handgun. Officials told reporters there were signs of robbery. Additionally, investigators reported to the Valley Morning Star there were indications that Ramirez’s murder was connected to the “Border Bandits.” Ramirez was considered the second victim to be killed by the so-called “border bandits” within the same two-weeks. However, no substantial leads or information was revealed, according to the Cameron County Sheriffs Office. This investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on this case, please call the Cameron County Crime Stoppers at their hotline: (866)-350-5551 or (956)-350-5551.
CCR: 01-25146
Date Reported: November 18, 2001
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Maria Oralia Castro
Age 60
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/2 Mile East of Filegoria West on Monte Alto
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