EDINBURG — A Texas plane took off from an airport in Maricopa County, Arizona, Wednesday afternoon carrying 83-year-old John Feit, a former Sacred Heart priest accused in the 1960 rape and murder of Irene Garza.

Meanwhile, in Hidalgo County, where he awaits his day in court to face a first-degree felony murder charge, officials held a news conference to update the community on the status of the case and the details behind his extradition.

“We can say that today, after nearly 56 years, is the beginning of bringing justice to the accused, the victim and the community,” said District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez.

After taking office in January 2015, it took Rodriguez and his team one year and two months to review the case, along with the Texas Rangers and the McAllen Police Department, and for prosecutors to convince a grand jury to indict Feit for the 1960 murder.

According to investigators, Garza, a 25-year-old schoolteacher and beauty queen, had gone to Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, where she had planned to attend confession during Holy Week, only to never be seen alive again.

Her body was found on April 21, 1960, five days after she disappeared, in a canal near the intersection of Second Street and Business 83.

Feit was questioned during the initial investigation after he was linked to evidence at the scene and witnesses placed him in the church the night Garza disappeared, but he was never charged.

McAllen police led the investigation more than five decades ago and are again at the forefront of the case. Chief Victor Rodriguez said during the news conference he has always believed that there was probable cause to charge Feit with the death of Garza but did not say why the case went cold for so long.

“This is a matter that is pending trial and because of that it is important to recognize our role in the justice system,” Chief Rodriguez said. “We always must work within that system.”

Garza’s cousin Noemi Sigler walked in quietly and sat in the back of the conference room Wednesday moments before the conference kicked off. She and other family members related to Garza have blamed former district attorney Rene Guerra for halting the case.

After the news conference, Sigler thanked McAllen Police Chief Rodriguez and DA Rodriguez for giving her and her family hope and for holding up their promise to reopen the case.

“I can’t believe this day is finally here,” Sigler said. “Everyone has worked so hard, and we have all been waiting for so long, I just can’t believe it.”

In 2004, Guerra presented Garza’s case to a grand jury, which decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Feit. District Attorney Rodriguez said Wednesday there are new facts and evidence in the case but said he was not at liberty to speak about the details.

“We are confident that after a jury hears all the facts and the evidence, they will be able to get past the threshold of beyond a reasonable doubt,” DA Rodriguez said.

“I want to make one thing clear, this is not about politics. This case is not about proving a point. The only motive in this case is to finally bring justice and closure to this cold case,” he added.

The white jet plane carrying Feit landed on Texas soil about 7 p.m. and rolled into a hanger beside the runway of the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg. He disembarked out of sight from all the cameramen and reporters that waited in the rain outside the airport’s chain-linked fence since Wednesday morning.

Sheriff Eddie Guerra said the jail can accommodate Feit’s age and medical conditions and deputies can place him in a cell by himself with 24 hour monitoring if necessary.

I am hoping you can add my thank yous to your morning paper.

I rode in the Jalapeno 100 on Feb. 20, and came all the way from California to participate. This event was one of the most organized and fun rides I have been on.

As a cyclist, you always have to keep your eyes open for cars and crossings. There was not one moment that I felt unsafe on that ride. Thank you so much to the police department for supplying that safety.

Thank you to the organizers for all the encouragement and funny postings along the way.

Thank ya Harlingen.

Kelly Marshall

Alameda, California

Ralph E. Jones’s series of disinformation about the typical effects of marijuana use appearing in the Star, reminds me of the hilarious cult classic “Reefer Madness” from 1936. It also claimed marijuana led to murder, rape and insanity.

Despite his claim that marijuana is physically addictive – which it is not – marijuana, unlike alcohol and tobacco, has no known lethal dose.

One would think that a doctor concerned with the health of our young people might address the fact that over 50 percent of highway deaths involve at least one drunk driver. But perhaps Dr. Jones is more interested in drumming up clients than addressing alcohol-related deaths?

Completely ignored by Dr. Jones is the damage done to our society by incarcerating young men-and giving them a criminal record for the rest of their lives-for simple marijuana possession.

Anyone wishing to know the facts might read, “Ganja in Jamaica: The Effects of Marijuana Use,” sponsored by the Center for Studies of Narcotic and Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Mental Health, which explodes many of Jones’s absurd claims.

Why now, you might ask? I just ran across a book deep on my dusty book shelf from those ‘drug-crazed’ days of the 1960s. Its chapter on The Dangers of Grass contains exactly two words: “Getting busted.”

And Dr. Jones wonders why his words fall on deaf ears? As the kids say today: Duh!

M. Dailey Harlingen

I would like to express my appreciation for your extensive coverage of the candidates as well as the sample ballot that you provided in the weeks leading up to the primary election.

It was most helpful, and I hope that you will continue providing this information in the future.

Joan M. Olson Palm Valley

PRIMERA – Three men are behind bars on charges of theft and engaging in organized criminal activity.

Jose Juan Jacquez Jr. and Paul Lee Navarro were charged in the connection with the theft of a large safe that contained 18 guns ranging from hand guns to assault rifles, ammunition and collectibles.

Investigators say the men were arrested after they shared a video on social media offering to sell the guns.

The men have been arraigned and remain behind bars.

One gun has been recovered after Harlingen police say they arrested Pasqual Fernandez in a narcotics raid and connected him to one of the stolen handguns.

The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information are asked to

call the Primera Crime Stoppers at (956) 536-0776

SAN BENITO — Police have arrested a man they say broke into a woman’s home and sexually assaulted her while she slept.

Officers responded Sunday at 9:40 p.m. to the 1500 block of Combes Street in reference to an assault.

The 30-year-old victim told police she was in her bedroom asleep when she was woken up by someone physically grabbing at her body and sexually assaulting her.

Police say the suspect, Guillermo Nava-Cortez, 45, broke into the woman’s home by pushing in a window air conditioning.

The victim said she scratched the man’s face and kicked him off her body and ran to her neighbors for help.

Nava was located next door at his home with red scratch marks on his face and arrested. The marks can be seen on his mugshot.

He was arraigned by Judge Benjamin Yudesis on charges of burglary of habitation and sexual assault. His bond was set at $225,000.

The Department of Homeland Security placed an immigration detainer on Nava and he was transported to Cameron County Detention Center.

LA FERIA — When the school board introduced and broke down the May 7, $14 million bond election, it was explained to property taxpayers as paying $2.38 per month more on an average home.

One board member compared the bond cost per property taxpayer to the price of a hamburger.

But not everyone agrees with the explanation or figures.

“The superintendent is playing with numbers,” said Yousef Mughrabi, a La Feria homeowner. “What La Feria decided to do in a sneaky-tricky way was showing the tax increase per month.”

Mughrabi called it a bad practice by the district to talk about the increase per month instead of per year.

“They made it sound like it’s $2.38. So, if you give up a hamburger you’re going to be OK,” Mughrabi said.

Mughrabi said he already pays $2,900 in taxes to the La Feria school district each year. He claims if the bond passes he will pay around $180 more.

“It’s a big chuck of money,” Mughrabi said.

He said he is willing to give up a hamburger, but he doesn’t want the taxpayers to be fooled into giving it up for the bond.

“I’m always looking for the best interest of the school district and the taxpayers,” Mughrabi said.

The school district website states the future tax increase would be $2.38 per month on the average La Feria ISD home value of $65,000.

The Residence Homestead Exemption removes part of the homeowner’s value from taxation.

“They automatically deducted $25,000 homestead exemption without revealing this important fact of the house, instead of the true value of $65,000,” he said.

If a home is appraised at $100,000, an applicant can qualify for a $25,000 exemption to pay school taxes on the home as if it was assessed at only $75,000.

Mughrabi said although some taxpayers might qualify for the homestead exemption, he claims the administration made the assumption that everyone in the district would receive the $25,000 homestead exemption.

“This is completely inaccurate and deceptive, to say the least,” Mughrabi said. “You can’t simply assume that everyone in the district would qualify for the $25,000 homestead exemption.”

Attempts to contact the La Feria superintendent were unsuccessful.

The La Feria ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously at a regular board meeting on Jan. 11 to call a $14 million bond election asking voters to consider the proposition.

If approved, it would provide funding for C.E. Vail Elementary, construction of an agriculture barn at La Feria High, construction security vestibules and additional improvements to each campus pending the availability of funds.

A La Feria School District 2016 Bond Election at a glance document states a facilities report by an independent engineering firm delineates significant structural and space deficiencies at C.E. Vail Elementary.

The report recommends the demolition of several unsafe structures and repair and modernization to the remaining campus.

If voters approve a bond issue before Sept. 1, the state of Texas will fund approximately 70 percent of the total amount through a program known as the Instructional Facilities Allotment.

In dollars, local taxpayers would be responsible for $4.2 million of the $14 million bond election and the state of Texas would fund the balance of $9.8 million.

Taxes will not increase as a result of this bond election for senior citizens 65 years or older.

The registration deadline to be eligible to vote in the May 7 election is April 7.

HARLINGEN — The war against cattle fever ticks in South Texas just escalated.

It appears a new vaccine developed by federal scientists in Kerrville may significantly reduce cattle fever ticks in South Texas, officials say.

Australia and Cuba have developed vaccines against the tick in South Texas, Rhipicephalus microplus. But the federally-approved vaccine created at the Agricultural Research Service’s Tick and Biting Fly Research Unit attacks r. microplus ticks in a unique way.

Cattle fever has been a devastating disease for ranchers in tropical and subtropical regions since the 1800s. The tick that transmits cattle fever in South Texas, r. microplus, originated in Southeast Asia and spread globally on transported cattle.

In cattle, tick fever can cause substantial weight loss and leave recovering animals in a weak or reduced condition. It can occasionally be fatal.

The top commodity among Texas agricultural products is beef cattle, which earns state ranchers some $11 billion annually. Protecting that beef cattle franchise — which also ranks No. 1 in the nation — is a major issue for Texas agriculture officials.

For the rest of this story and many other EXTRAS, go to our premium site, www.MyValleyStar.com.

Subscribe to it for only $6.99 per month or purchase a print subscription and receive the online version free, which includes an electronic version of the full newspaper and extra photo galleries, links and other information you can’t find anywhere else.

HARLINGEN — Last season the Harlingen Cardinals struggled through a tough season.

But so far this year, the Red Birds seem to be on the rise as they entered their District 32-6A schedule against Brownsville Rivera at home on Tuesday with a very respectable 7-2 record.

And after a strong outing by ace Jaedon Wynn, the Cards are now 8-2 and, more importantly, 1-0 in league play as they beat the Raiders 4-1.

The Cardinals scored a run in the first inning, two in the third and another in the fourth to ice the game.

“We had a good game, Jaedon Wynn threw an excellent game only giving up one run while getting nine strikeouts,” said Harlingen head coach Bryan Aughney. “On the flip side their (Rivera) pitcher threw well, too and kept us off balance. Lucky for us we got some key hits with guys in scoring position and we were able to get some runs.”

Full story at RGVSports.com