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An 18-year-old Mercedes man entered a not guilty plea Thursday morning to an indictment charging him with murder for a December fatal shooting at an recreational vehicle park in Weslaco.
A Hidalgo County grand jury indicted Jorge Antonio Gracia on April 26 for allegations that he shot and killed 19-year-old Leonel Guerra on Dec. 11.
Gracia appeared in court for his arraignment Thursday, court records show.
Weslaco police previously said that the shooting happened at 6:41 p.m. at an RV park at 600 S. Bridge Ave where they found Guerra with a single gunshot wound to his back.
“Officers attempted CPR first aid to no avail. He ended up passing then,” Chief Joel Rivera said after the arrest. “Through some hard work and some good investigative work, two suspects were developed and identified.”
Police first arrested a 15-year-old on Dec. 23. His identity is being withheld because he is minor, but he is charged with murder.
Authorities arrested Gracia on Jan. 13.
Prior to the arrests, police released photos of a 2010 black Chevrolet Silverado that had Harley Davidson stickers on the tailgate, seeking assistance from the public.
Rivera said this spurred tips, which led investigators to the truck, which was abandoned. Investigators also recovered evidence from the vehicle that helped them identify the suspects.
As for Guerra, the chief said he knew the suspects.
“They were involved in illicit activity, and at some point they had a disagreement that eventually led to the situation in which the murder happened,” Rivera said.
Gracia remains in the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
