WESLACO — Hidalgo County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man for murder hours after they found a partially burned body near a ditch here Friday morning.
Hidalgo County Sheriff’s deputies initially responded to a grass fire on Mile 13 1/2 North, just east of Mile 4, in rural Weslaco at approximately 4:23 a.m.
After the Weslaco Fire Department put out the fire, a captain discovered the body, Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra said.
The deceased man has since been identified as 21-year-old Edel Galvan.
It’s unclear how, but investigators were led to 27-year-old Jose Alfonso Lopez, who was arrested and charged with one count of murder, one count of evading on foot and one count of failure to identify.
Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Jason Peña arraigned Lopez Friday afternoon and issued him a total bond of $1.02 million.
Deputies continue to investigate and are asking the public to contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office at (956) 383-8114 if they have any information about the case.
Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers Hotline at 956-668-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip through the smartphone application “P3 TIPS”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information about an arrest.
