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A 39-year-old Mercedes man was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to shooting and killing his ex-wife’s 19-year-old daughter.
Guadalupe Garcia Ybarra Jr. pleaded guilty to murdering his stepdaughter, Ruth Esmeralda Olvera, on April 17, 2021 and has been sentenced to 30 years in prison with over 2 years in credit, court records indicate.
Charged alongside Ybarra with murder was his then-girlfriend, 38-year-old Esmeralda Chapa.
The Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office on Friday, however, filed a motion to dismiss the charges against Chapa. That motion says there is insufficient evidence against her and also cites Ybarra pleading guilty as a reason for the requested dismissal.
She is set to reappear before state District Judge Fernando Mancias next week for a status hearing.
Olvera was found dead inside a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze that was parked at 2102 W. Expressway 83 around 8:37 p.m. on April 19, 2021.
When interviewed by investigators, Olvera’s mom told authorities that she suspected Ybarra of harming her daughter.
She “stated that she believes her ex-husband Guadalupe Ybarra is responsible for Ruth’s death because Mr. Ybarra, who was also involved with Ruth, is a very violent and aggressive person,” the probable cause affidavit stated.
Investigators later met with Ybarra who told them that Olvera sent him a text and that he and his father met with her at a park in Weslaco, according to Mercedes police.
Ybarra claims that Olvera called him and said she was being followed by people in two vehicles and that passengers from one of those vehicles approached her and banged on her car, the affidavit said.
He says the line then got disconnected and he didn’t hear from her again, adding that his messages and phone calls made between Ybarra and Olvera were no longer saved on his phone.
Despite his claims, police managed to find messages.
“While searching his messages it was also learned that Mr. Ybarra had been messaging Ms. Olvera excessively in a harassing manner such as asking for her whereabouts, and if she had been sleeping with other men. Mr. Ybarra also voice messaged Ms. Olvera that he was receiving calls from unknown numbers that they were going to kill her and her daughter,” the affidavit stated.
Olvera asked Ybarra to record a call and send it to her which he did, according to police.
Investigators in the case recognized the voice belonging to Chapa and a search of her phone revealed that she and Ybarra were in communication the same day the threatening message was left on Ybarra’s phone.
Also found on Ybarra’s phone was his browser history which showed searches on how to use and shoot a Taurus 9mm PT92 pistol and information on the interior of a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze.
