The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has dismissed a post-conviction writ of habeas corpus filed by a Brownsville man who was found guilty of murdering a 20-year-old Harlingen woman.
Aroldo Humberto Cadriel, 75, filed his writ May 4, which stated he had new evidence to be presented and that the attorneys involved in his case failed to “discover/disclose.” He also said he had ineffective counsel, there was no evidence to link him to the crime, excessive use of force and a fraudulent property form was used.
The higher court dismissed Cadriel’s writ without a written order on June 15.
A Cameron County jury on Dec. 13, 2013, found Cadriel guilty in the murder of 20-year-old Brisna Mireles of Harlingen. Cadriel was sentenced to life in prison.
Mireles’ body was found March 31, 2012, on the side of U.S. Expressway 77/83 near Combes, according to court documents. An autopsy report revealed that Mireles died after being shot twice in the head, once in the back and once in the pelvic area.
The documents indicate that while authorities were investigating the crime scene investigators found a hotel key near Mireles’ body. The key belonged to room No. 52 at the Hudson House Hotel in Harlingen. It was registered to Robert Castillo, a name Cadriel used to register at the hotel.
The hotel owner reported seeing Cadriel at the hotel on numerous occasions and that he always requested to rent room No. 52.
Court records state Mireles and Cadriel had a long-standing sexual relationship in which Cadriel would pay her.
According to an arrest affidavit, “Mr. Cadriel also stated that he was frustrated with feeling used by the victim (Mireles) only to buy items and give rides to the victim at her call.”
Court records indicate that Cadriel had been in communication with Mireles until 4:07 a.m. March 31, 2012, and that her body was found 4 1/2-hours later.
Cadriel remains jailed at the Pack Unit at Navasota, Texas.
