A 17-year-old accused of gunning down a 19-year-old Donna teen near a sugar cane field in the Delta Lakes area received a bond reduction.
Carlos Julian Contreras, who is charged with murder for the Jan. 14 killing of Genaro Isaiah “Izzy” Castillo, appeared in Auxiliary Court on Monday to make the request, court records indicate.
Jail records show that Contreras, who had been held on a $1 million bond, is now being held on a $250,000 bond.
As of early Tuesday morning, he remained in jail, according to county records.
Contreras stands accused of shooting Castillo in the leg, torso and head.
Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra said at a news conference after Contreras’ arraignment that the teens were involved in a criminal enterprise.
The sheriff did not elaborate and a probable cause affidavit for Contreras’ arrest provides no details about that allegation.
That arrest affidavit, however, does detail how investigators say Contreras, a high school baseball player from PSJA Memorial, sought a gun from an associate before he allegedly shot and killed Castillo.
Witnesses told investigators that Contreras had been looking for a gun “to ‘take out ‘Izzy’ and ‘Reggie’ before they took him out.’”
Guerra has said Contreras is the sole suspect in the murder.
