Rios
A 42-year-old San Juan man who had recently been released from prison is accused of choking his former girlfriend a day before lighting her house on fire, causing severe damage, according to probable cause affidavits.
Pharr spokeswoman Daisy Martinez said in an email Friday that police there arrested Ruben Antonio Rios and charged him with arson and assault family violence.
The fire occurred June 17 at 108 W. Handy St. and there were no injuries.
Pharr Assistant Fire Marshal Mike Navarro said Friday that firefighters responded to the location at approximately 6:30 a.m. and extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes.
After the fire, investigators recovered evidence and determined the fire was suspicious, Navarro said, adding that the evidence includes video surveillance.
The probable cause affidavit for Rios’ arrest said investigators recovered motion sensor video surveillance from across the street that showed Rios arriving in a black 2019 Chevrolet Cadillac.
“The motion sensor video footage shows Mr. Rios waiting in the front door of the residence then video jumps to flames and smoke coming from the northeast corner of the residence,” the affidavit stated.
That document also said the fire was concentrated to the northeast corner of the residence.
Navarro said no one was inside the residence at the time, which is where the woman lived with two children.
After the fire, the woman who lived in the home told investigators she suspected Rios set the fire and also identified him as the man in the video surveillance, according to the affidavits.
Hidalgo County court records indicate that Rios has a lengthy criminal history, which dates back to 1997.
Pharr police also just arrested Rios a few months ago, in May, on a charge of injury to a child, elderly or disabled person.
This occurred May 3 and he bailed out on a $10,000 bond on May 6. Records indicate the offense occurred March 23, 2021.
On June 18, 2019, state District Judge Marla Cuellar sentenced him to three years in prison, with credit for time served, on another charge of injury to a child, elderly or disabled individual.
As of Friday afternoon, Rios remains held in the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on a total of $150,000 in bonds.
