An 18-year-old man charged in a November hit-and-run turned murder sought a lower bond Friday morning, but the judge presiding over the case denied the request, records show.
Jesse Solis appeared via video-conferencing in front of state District Judge Luis M. Singleterry to ask that his $1 million bond on a murder charge for the death of 41-year-old John Joseph Young be reduced.
Edinburg police accuse Solis and his 16-year-old cousin of beating Young to death after he hit Solis’ 2007 Buick on Nov. 6. The newspaper is not identifying the juvenile suspect.
Authorities there initially investigated the case as a fatal hit-and-run, issuing a news release at one point asking for the public’s help in identifying Solis’ vehicle.
The fatal incident happened between 11 and 11:15 p.m. at the intersection of 21st Avenue and Cano Street.
As the investigation developed, a man went to police and told them that his coworker mentioned that his brother, the juvenile, and another man had beaten up someone in front of the La Espiga Bakery, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigators found the coworker, who provided a statement saying that his cousin “arrived at his house upset in his gray 4-door car at about 11:00 p.m. because a male that was in front of the bakery had thrown himself at his car and had broken the mirror,” the affidavit states.
A news release announcing Solis’ arrest stated that Young’s body had struck the side mirror of the vehicle before Solis and the juvenile returned and confronted Young, beating the man and leaving him in the roadway.
“Investigator Moreno will testify (the man) stated that a short time later Jessie and (the juvenile) arrived back at the house with blood on their arms saying that they had just beaten up the male in front of the bakery,” the probable cause affidavit states.
Police say Solis attempted to hide the car in his backyard behind some tree branches at his stepfather’s behest.
Solis remains jailed.
