A 42-year-old man accused of participating in a drug rip that resulted in a double homicide more than six years ago is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on an indictment charging him with capital murder of multiple persons.
Police arrested Alberto Garcia last October for his alleged role in the Dec. 26, 2015, shooting deaths of 24-year-old Rodriguez Villanueva Alvarez and 43-year-old Juan Carmorlinga Torres.
Garcia, along with 55-year-old Ramon Aguilar Jr., 31-year-old Javier Mendez Rodriguez, Torres and then-29-year-old Guillermo Peña are accused of attempting to steal more than 400 pounds of marijuana a day after Christmas from a residence in the 6100 block of Dario Street in rural Mission.
However, a confrontation ensued and the suspects exchanged gunfire with Alvarez, the owner of the home and target of the robbery, resulting in Alvarez and Torres’ deaths.
Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies found the men dead behind a small trailer at the back of the property at around 2:58 p.m. that day, according to a probable cause affidavit.
“Sheriff Investigators reviewed surveillance footage which showed armed men to include Juan Camorlinga Torres arrive at the residence in a silver Ford Ranger and a secondary vehicle. Armed men entered the property and chased after the homeowner and the other victim’s at location while pointing handguns in their direction,” the affidavit states.
Authorities allege Garcia owned the Ford Ranger, was armed and that he employed Torres.
Investigators say they recovered guns, bundles of marijuana, cash and video surveillance from the scene in rural Mission.
Aguilar was the first suspect arrested after the shooting. He pleaded guilty to murder in 2017 and is serving a 28-year prison sentence.
He’s eligible for parole in 2030 and his maximum sentence leaves him in jail until 2044.
Rodriguez was a fugitive for nearly four years.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested him at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge in March 2019 after biometric information alerted to an arrest warrant.
He is also charged with capital murder of multiple persons and remains jailed on a $2 million bond. He is scheduled for a jury trial in June and has pleaded not guilty.
Garcia also remains jailed on a $2 million bond.
Peña is still a fugitive.
