Weslaco police say a 21-year-old Donna man stabbed an 18-year-old resident during an argument over money he felt was owed to him for taking care of the victim’s child.
Vincent Cedillo is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains in the Hidalgo County Detention Center on a $200,000 bond for allegations stemming from a dispute in the 1900 block of Las Brisas Street. The incident reportedly occurred at around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. The victim has been identified as Alberto Fernandez.
“The suspect went to the residence asking for money that he provided to (Fernandez’s girlfriend) for her and Alberto’s child while he was dating (the woman). While the suspect, Vincent Cedillo, was at the residence he and Mr. Fernandez got into a fight and Cedillo produced a knife and stabbed Mr. Fernandez on the side of his body causing blood loss,” a probable cause affidavit states.
A witness at the residence and Fernandez’s girlfriend applied pressure to the man’s wound until EMS arrived, police say.
After the stabbing, police say Cedillo fled on foot, prompting a search that lasted a couple hours that also resulted in two schools being placed on lockdown.
When police arrested Cedillo and brought him to the station, investigators say Cedillo waived his Miranda Rights and told them he went to the home on foot to collect money he felt was owed to him for caring for Fernandez and the woman’s child, according to the charging document.
“Cedillo stated he was confronted by Mr. Fernandez and was attacked by Mr. Fernandez, Cedillo stated he saw Fernandez with the knife, took it away from Fernandez and stabbed Fernandez. Cedillo changed his story and stated he saw the knife on the ground, grabbed it, and used it to stab Fernandez after he was attacked,” the affidavit states.
Investigators, however, note in the document that they were told Cedillo brought the knife.
As police were taking Cedillo to booking after his interrogation, they say he confessed that the knife belonged to him.
“I explained we were not in the interrogation room and if he wanted to speak, we could go back to the interrogation room and talk. I escorted Cedillo back where he confessed, he had a small black knife and he used it to stab Mr. Fernandez but he discarded it. Cedillo claimed it was out of self defense due to Mr. Fernandez almost running into him with his vehicle,” the probable cause affidavit states.
At around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, police met with Fernandez at McAllen Medical Center where he told police Cedillo was at his house demanding money.
“Mr. Fernandez went back home and saw the suspect talking with his mother on the driveway. Mr. Fernandez gets off the car and the suspect (Cedillo) throws his hands up in the air indicating he wants to fight with Mr. Fernandez,” the affidavit states.
The men began to fight and Fernandez told police he knocked Cedillo down, authorities say.
“Mr. Fernandez sees Cedillo get up and pull out a knife from the left pocket of his shorts. As Mr. Fernandez attempts to runway (sic) from Cedillo, Cedillo stabbed Mr. Fernandez on the left side of his body. Mr. Fernandez tried to move his car into the driveway but accidentally hit the gas and drove into the side of his mother’s house,” according to the affidavit.
Fernandez suffered a collapsed lung.
This is not the first time Cedillo has been accused of stabbing someone.
In January, a grand jury indicted Cedillo on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over allegations he stabbed a man named Mark Rodriguez on Nov. 30, 2019.
In that case, he received deferred adjudication on the requirement that he complete five years of community supervision.
The state has asked that he be convicted of the charge after he was arrested on Sept. 8 for unlawful carrying of a weapon and driving while intoxicated.
