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: 15-48120
Date Reported: December 2, 2015
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Patricia Aevedo Chavez
Gender Female
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 12927 Santawan
Mercedes Texas, 78570
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff's Office
Patricia A. Chavez was fatally shot in her home on December 2nd, 2015 at approximately 8:50 pm in Mercedes, Texas.
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: 00-16539
Date Reported: September 18, 2000
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Yolonda Jackson
Gender Female
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location East on Mile 8 North
Mercedes Texas, 78570
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
CCR: 99-15473
Date Reported: September 14, 1999
VICTIM DETAILS
Name unknown
Age 33
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Arrest Made
Incident location North of expressway 83 on old Post Office Road
sullivan City Tx, 78595
L.E.A Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office
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: 04-34655
Date Reported: December 21, 2004
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Jose Munoz
Age 33
Gender Male
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 6 3/4 N. Inspiration Rd
Mission Texas, 78572
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sherriff'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: 02-15094
Date Reported: June 22, 2002
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Jesus Chavez
Age 24
Gender Male
Race Hispanic/Latino
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Blunt Force
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident location 1/2 Mile E of Raul Longoria on Trenton Rd
Edinburg Texas, 78539
Hidalgo
L.E.A Hidalgo Co. Sheriff's Office
Almost 2 decades and Jesus Chavez's murder has not been solved, he will forever be in our thoughts and prayers. No Justice, No Peace.
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: 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.