Two arrests have been made in the shooting death of a Santa Rosa teen that happened last month at the Village Apartments in Santa Rosa.
Cameron County jail records show that Julian Casarez, 18, and Josue Torres, 17, were booked at a jail facility Thursday, charging each of them with one count of murder.
Cameron County sheriff’s investigators alongside the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and Texas Rangers executed “high risk arrest warrants” in the La Feria area, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.
During the operation, Casarez was arrested on outstanding warrants charging him with murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and engaging in organized criminal activity, the news release said.
Casarez’s father, Tomas, was also arrested on a warrant charging him with accident involving damage to vehicle.
At a separate location, sheriff’s investigators along with the U.S. Marshals, the Texas Rangers and the Santa Rosa Police Department arrested Torres on a warrant charging him with murder.
Casarez and Torres are involved in the Santa Rosa homicide, Cameron County Sheriff Eric Garza confirmed.
Cameron County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2 Eloy Cano Jr. signed warrants for their arrest Wednesday.
A warrant for a third suspect has also been signed, but he has yet to be arrested.
According to Santa Rosa city officials, the incident happened Jan. 26 at the Village Apartments, located off FM 506, where an altercation occurred, the city stated on its Facebook page.
“One or more firearms were discharged. Sadly, as a result of this incident, a 16 year old male lost his life,” the posting stated.
According to the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office, the teenager suffered multiple gunshot wounds and several bystanders administered first aid to him until emergency personnel arrived.
Authorities said the teen was transported to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, where he was pronounced dead.
Santa Rosa has a population of about 2,745. The city is located off of FM 107 and FM 506 in Cameron County.
The Cameron County DA’s Office and the Texas Rangers have been called in to assist the police department in the investigation.
