Murder fugitive caught at Hidalgo International Bridge beat man to death in 2000

Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Rigoberto Resendez Jr.

A 47-year-old Mexican national, who is accused of “punching and kicking” a man to death, was apprehended Monday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on an outstanding murder warrant upon arriving at the Hidalgo International Bridge.

Rigoberto Resendez Jr., a U.S. citizen from Queretaro, Mexico, was turned over to Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office after CBP determined he had an active warrant.

According to a probable cause affidavit, at about 7:43 a.m., on June 11, 2000, a Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to a 4 1/2 miles south of Business 83 on Valley View Road in Donna in reference to a “man down.”

The deputy obtained a preliminary offense report where the victim was identified as Alfredo Ontiveros Jr. who had evident injuries and bruises to the face and chest area.

“EMS personnel confirmed that Alfredo Ontiveros Jr. was dead,” the complaint said.

An investigator obtained a sworn affidavit from a man named Gilbert Hernandez who stated that earlier in the night four males at the Players nightclub in Pharr assaulted Ontiveros who lost consciousness following the assault.

A man named Juan Antonio Ramirez voluntarily provided a statement to investigators and admitted to being involved in a fight at the Players nightclub.

“Mr. Ramirez named the person in charge of the Players nightclub, known to him as ‘Rigo,’ as the person who punched and kicked [Ontiveros] causing [him] to lose consciousness,” the affidavit said.

Both Ramirez and Resendez were identified as people who assaulted Ontiveros by investigators.

The following day, on Monday, an autopsy conducted on Ontiveros’ body revealed that he died from blunt force trauma that resulted in his brain swelling.

On Monday, Resendez was taken before Magistrate Judge Larry Esparza where he was given a $250,000 cash surety bond.

He remains jailed in the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center.