With everything thats happening on the border, it infuriates me that these lynchings were just swept under the rug, said Brandi Tobar, 19, a college student in San Tan Valley, Ariz., and a descendant of one of the men killed at Porvenir. His accomplice "Rick" was never identified or found. Lynch Mobs Killed Latinos Across the West. Find Weslaco Police Department addresses, websites & phone numbers. Crime in Mission, Texas (TX): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map All Cities Texas, Texas smaller cities, Texas small towns Mission main page US Crime Crime rate in Mission, Texas (TX) It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Weslaco is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. 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A judge in Edinburg on Wednesday accepted the. Framed umpire shirt and Tomball HS cap. Rivera presented the board with some $83 million in unfunded construction needs. As of the 2020 census the population was 41,103, and in 2020 the estimated population was 41,103. According to a release, police responded to the Weslaco R.V. Garza pleaded guilty to capital murder of multiple persons in the May attack. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Dont tell me that if the police kill an Anglo in Chihuahua City, there isnt going to be some differences about what really happened, said Jim White III, 70, a descendant of the Brite family, whose ranch not far from Porvenir was the one that had been raided a month before the lynchings. In March 2005, Lopez said he was contracted by La Mana drug cartel from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to kidnap a man named Lupe Ramirez from Weslaco in South Texas because he owed the cartel $40,000 . Importantly, when you compare Weslaco to other communities of similar population, then Weslaco crime rate (violent and property crimes combined) is quite a bit higher than average. Her grandfather, Rosendo Mesa, was a boy at the time. To this day, the truth is hard.. Marshals service and sheriff's deputies from Leon County which includes Centerville searched the area for Lopez for weeks with no luck. General Family Medicine PA. 0.80 miles from Weslaco, TX. Copyright 2000-2023 Location Inc. Crime in Weslaco, Texas Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) Weslaco violent crime is 36.6. People who live in Weslaco generally consider the southwest part of the city to be the safest. The 2019 crime rate in Weslaco, TX is 301 (City-Data.com crime index), which is about the average for the U.S. cities. First published on Mon 27 Jun 2022 14.28 EDT. A conversation with a curandero resulted in the murder of a Rio Grande Valley doctor last year, Weslaco police Chief Joel Rivera said Friday. They then kidnapped Ramirez and took him with them in a red car. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Anyone with information regarding this incident and wants to stay anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00, may call Weslaco Crime Stoppers at 956-968-TIPS (8477) or submit your tip using the P3 Tips phone application. The sheriff's office considers Mata to be armed and dangerous. The girl allegedly was raped during the deadly attack. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Escaped Texas killer Gonzalo Lopez dies in police shootout. Express Inn Weslaco/Mercedes is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Weslaco, offering a budget friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. She added, If we dont want something like this repeated, its about time for the entire country to know the truth.. Recent job growth is Positive. Texas, which enshrined white supremacy in its 1836 constitution when Anglo slaveholders seceded from Mexico, had by far the most episodes of mob violence against people of Mexican descent, according to William D. Carrigan and Clive Webb, historians who have documented such cases. . Search for Weslaco, Hidalgo County, TX police and arrest records. Arriving officers located a male with an apparent gunshot wound and quickly began life-saving efforts. Crime Map for Weslaco, TX. La Prensa, a San Antonio newspaper, described how the mob hanged him, raising the ire of Mexican diplomats who were trying to curb such killings. Governor Greg Abbott held a roundtable on Texas's ongoing border security efforts. During the chase, shots were fired at the police by both the driver and Lopez. Police found a man with apparent gunshot wounds. A South Texas man must serve life in prison without parole for killing his common-law wife and her 12-year-old sister in a fight over his drug use. The victim`s 2001 green Ford Mustang is missing. Additionally, 190 was for legacy rape and 22 was for revised rape. (956) 854-4363 107 W. 6th Street. During the journey, Lopez managed to remove his handcuffs and use a sharp object to cut through a metal door that was separating the prisoners from the driver. He crawled into the driver's section where he stabbed the corrections officer driving the bus. Deputies on May 6 found the bodies at Garzas home after his 5- and 6-year-old daughters were wandering nearby and one told a passer-by: My mother is dead.. Later that same day, police spotted Lopez and engaged in a shootout with him after a high-speed chase, where he was fatally shot during the exchange of gunfire. Its license plate number is CBX7470. Loftin, a pastor at the Cowboy Church of Leon County, said he used to go to the family's ranch, which also features a "beautiful fishing lake and a pier," to help with cattle management. . To this day, the Phantom Killer's identity is still unknown. According to a recent Facebook post, the alleged. Lopez, however, remained at large. 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[18][19], Late on June 2, a deputy sheriff from Atascosa County spotted the pickup truck and confirmed the license plate matched the one stolen. Cynthia Laura Benavides. From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Weslaco occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. by Bethany Blankley Roughly six weeks before testifying Tuesday before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Chief Border Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez held a meeting with local law enforcement in Weslaco, Texas, describing the administrations plan to release en masse illegal foreign nationals into the U.S. when Title 42 ended. After burning Porvenir to the ground, the Rangers and ranchmen claimed, without offering proof, that the villagers had been thieves. @KHOU has complete coverage of the tragedy: https://t.co/h32yGGxqBG #khou11 pic.twitter.com/QUJMOfpaeH. Tomball High School student Madeline McFarland said she knew Waylon Collins. [15], On June 2, 2022, Lopez broke into a ranch owned by the Collins family in Centerville, Texas. The Most Notorious Serial Killers From Texas. [2] On December 13, 2007, he was found guilty of attempted capital murder of a police officer and was handed another life sentence. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It was a turbulent time on the border when you had a lot of people getting killed on both sides, said Mr. White, who still lives on the familys ranch and refrains from calling the killings a massacre. Anyone with information should call the sheriffs office at (956) 383-8114. In addition, NeighborhoodScout found that a lot of the crime that takes place in Weslaco is property crime. In March 2005, Lopez said he was contracted by La Mana drug cartel from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to kidnap a man named Lupe Ramirez from Weslaco in South Texas because he owed the cartel $40,000, according to court records. An investigation into the report led to the discovery of invasive recordings in his possession. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 35-year-old woman was beaten to death in a London street. 2016 Crime in Weslaco End of the Year Report. WESLACO, TX - On Saturday, December 11, 2021, at bout 6:41 pm, Weslaco Police Department received a call for assistance at the Weslaco R.V Park located at 600 South Bridge Avenue, Weslaco, County of Hidalgo, Texas in reference to shots fired. Gonzalo Artemio Lopez (February 10, 1976 June 2, 2022)[1] was an American fugitive, mass murderer, and prison escapee who killed a total of six people in separate murders in 2005 and 2022. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Weslaco is 267 to 1. 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, As Bowie archive finds new home at UK museum, start, Residents experiencing water break in north San Benito, Brownsville plants third grove of trees for COVID-19, Hundreds join Uvalde survivors to call for gun safety, Jury hears closing arguments in Murdaugh murder trial, City of Edinburg proclaims March 1st as Grupo Frontera, Tipton Ford celebrates 100 yrs with beach cleanup, 956 Vanished: New TV series premieres this weekend, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On June 2, Lopez broke into a ranch and murdered five people from the same family, including three children, before stealing weapons and a pickup truck. Violent 15-year-old sought in rural Weslaco murder. Its 2019, right? Where is 2022 data? Through the 90's Weslaco's population has grown by about 23%. Some victims were burned alive, like Antonio Rodrguez, 20, a migrant worker who was hauled from a jail in Rocksprings, Tex., tied to a tree and set ablaze in 1910. In the instance of the dastardly murder of Charles Potter, it is very doubtful whether justice can be too swiftly meted out.. They are charged with conspiring to bribe a Weslaco City Commissioner in exchange for official actions favorable to three engineering companies and conspiracy to commit money laundering. A Weslaco man arrested on suspicion of murder appeared before a judge on Wednesday. Authorities said he belonged to the Mexican Mafia, which is a prison gang, and was a contract killer for at least two drug cartels. Lynchings of Hispanics have faded into history with less attention. Section 19.03 of the penal code defines capital murder as an intentional or knowing killing under section 19.02 (b) (1), the traditional definition of murder, accompanied by one of the listed aggravating or capital factors. Others who have opposed the marker include the chairwoman of the historical commission, who cited concerns that it was being used by militant Hispanics looking for reparations. Jose's Cafecito Restaurant. The unemployment rate in Weslaco is 10.4% (U.S. avg. Free Consultation. Four officers returned fire, killing him. [3][4][5], Lopez's criminal history dates back to 1994. In 1880, a mob in Collin County in North Texas accused Refugio Ramrez, his wife, and their teenage daughter, Mara Ines, of bewitching their neighbors. Authorities maintained nearly 40 roving patrols, believing he remained in the area around Centerville, possibly entering unoccupied structures to look for food, water and clothing, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Though lynching in general is to be condemned, yet to every case there is an exception, The Santa Fe New Mexican reported at the time. Message. He is believed to be driving a dark in color SUV and may be accompanied by his juvenile brother, who is a person of interest. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Weslaco. The robbery total was 464, and the aggravated assault total was 1,925. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Robert Runyon Photograph Collection/ Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, via The University of Texas at Austin. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/us/porvenir-massacre-texas-mexicans.html. Some theorists believe 19-year-old Nathan Elgin committed the murders, while others believethe Annihilator moved to London and became Jack the Ripper. "He was the type of guy that was friends with everybody," McFarlandtold KHOU-TV. Around 150,000 people in the Rio Grande Valley Fire weather watch to go into effect Thursday. Police were able to identify a suspect who is currently detained. Since 2005 Weslaco's population has grown by about 10%. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Ms. Valencia and other descendants of lynching victims are now casting attention on one of the grimmest campaigns of racist terror in the American West: the lynching of thousands of men, women and children of Mexican descent from the mid-19th century until well into the 20th century. (The US average is 22.7) Weslaco property crime is 80.3. States on the border are grappling yet again with efforts among prominent conservatives to label Latino immigrants a security threat. In-person or by mail: Weslaco City Hall - 255 S. Kansas Avenue - Weslaco, TX 78596 Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. After hours DROPBOX located in front of City Hall NOTE: Payments dropped off after 7:30 a.m. will be processed the next business day Western Union Payment Stations: HEB #231 1004 N. Texas HEB #485 310 N. Westgate A mob broke into the jail, drove the two men to the edge of town and hanged them during a heavy rainstorm in front of about 100 people. But investigations by the Army and the State Department found that the Mexicans were unarmed when they were killed. Zara Aleena died after what police . Select your ideal criteria and let Scout do the rest. In Elmendorf, TX, he opened a saloon and built a pond thatcontained fivealligators to whichhe fed live animals. While many have been apprehended by law enforcement, the identities of some of these murderers remain a mystery more than a century later. Stay current with all the latest and breaking news about, Looking for a source we don't already have? Physician Assistant. The majority of the GLO's assistance went to smaller towns. The Department of Public Safety and the Segovia K-9 Unit assisted Weslaco police in the manhunt. Food is always delicious and served generously. "He's crafty,"Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Robert Hurst said of Lopez last week. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. This equates to a rate of 5 per one thousand inhabitants. As he drove away, the officers fired at the bus and hit the tires. Weslaco, TX Profile. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. The Presidio County attorney worried that the dedication ceremony for a marker could serve as the backdrop for a major political rally for Beto ORourke, the Democrat who last fall was a candidate for the United States Senate, according to The Texas Observer, which wrote an extensive report on the dispute. 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