McALLEN — Prior to laying their loved one to rest, frustrated and angry family members told journalists that investigators have told them nothing about the man’s death.
They also showed dismay that the suspect in the case only received a $75,000 bond and has already bailed out of jail for the murder of Luis “Pepino” Alonzo Gonzalez Sanchez.
Gerardo Chapa Jr., 30, was charged for the murder of Gonzalez, a 56-year-old social media promoter in the Rio Grande Valley.
“At this moment, we don’t know who, how, when and where because the McAllen Police Department haven’t told us anything,” Luis’ son, Kevin Alonzo Gonzalez, said in Spanish. “To this day, they haven’t told us anything — even after we’ve asked.
“We have a lot of questions.”
Police routinely withhold information regarding open investigations, such as Gonzalez’s murder.
Kevin added that his family is suffering greatly due to their loss.
“My dad was the kind of person to take off his face mask to give it to someone else, no questions asked,” Kevin said with a strained voice, fighting back tears. “What we’re sure of is that my dad was a good man on Earth.
“All of his friends and family have been reaching out because they can’t believe it either and I can’t tell them anything because the police haven’t told us anything.”
Kevin says he and his family believe they have the right to know at least how and where he died.
According to a probable cause affidavit, McAllen police responded to the 2000 block of Redbud Ave. at approximately 3:35 p.m. Monday in reference to shots fired.
Upon arrival, officers found Gonzalez on the ground with several gunshot wounds and Chapa told the officers he had shot Gonzalez, the affidavit said.
During a police interview, Chapa said he got into an argument with Gonzalez and shot him with a handgun Chapa had in his vehicle, the affidavit read.
The initial media release of the incident said Chapa called McAllen police to tell them “he shot a male … in self defense,” which was not mentioned in the affidavit for his arrest.
Gonzalez and his family have been receiving an outpouring of support and love on his Facebook page, called “El Cheff Pepino,” where he would record livestreams of himself promoting local businesses like Lopez Tires and Wheels and Taqueria Alamo.
His last livestream featured Gonzalez giving his lemonade to a seemingly homeless woman who identified herself as “Angie” from Georgia at Taqueria Alamo’s location in Peñitas.
In the video, Gonzalez asks Angie her birthday and then tells her he’s going to get her something in March, her birth month. He also promises to get her lunch that day.
Approximately an hour after posting that video, Gonzalez died.
Kevin denied the claims that his dad was the aggressor in the argument he had with Chapa.
“My dad didn’t even carry a nail cutter,” Kevin said in Spanish. “All of his close friends who knew him know my dad was a good person.
“If you told him that his shirt was really nice, he would gift it to you.”
As for Chapa, he posted bond the same day he was booked into the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center.
