unsolved murders in del rio, texasunsolved murders in del rio, texas

We will never know whether Tommy Sells was involved in the murder of the Dardeen family or he was trying to avoid the death penalty by confessing to crimes he had not committed and taking advantage of the judicial systems gratitude. She was initially suspected to be white, but admixture testing later proved she was of over 50 percent Sub-Saharan descent, most likely indicating she was African American. [47]. He gave statements, but nothing matched the evidence. Romeo Sanchez, was accused of stabbing the victim to death while fighting with the victim inside of the bar. Allee Jr., died in January, but Long has a sworn statement from him that could be used in court. The list of its authors can be seen in its historicaland/or the page Edithistory:List of unidentified murder victims in Texas. (Ben Thompson/Community Impact Newspaper). I'm sure that if you would have shot two of his children, he would have fought, like an animal, he added. This thing needs to be solved, said Volkmann. An alleged [28], In May, 2019, the DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with the victim's identification. Valley cotton farmers concerned over low water levels, McAllen interim fire chief offers spring break fire safety tips, Capital murder trial for McAllen man accused of killing ex-wife delayed, McAllen airport looking for new airline offer direct flights to Mexico, Hidalgo County district clerk warns residents of jury duty scam, Valley View wins in penalty shootaround 4-3 over Sharyland, RGV Vipers battle, but fall 109-100 to Long Island Nets, UTRGV picks up third win in a row, beat Utah Valley 69-59, Valley teams close out girls basketball season in UIL Regional Semifinals, Pharr Natatorium hosts WAC Swimming & Diving Championships. Investigators believe she had been murdered. He did, however, lift his shirt and show Long the five or six scars from stab wounds he suffered, Long said. The Sheriffs Office is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Victor Garcia, a suspect in a capital murder case. The woman had been dead from one to several weeks before her remains were discovered. He was white with possible Native American or Hispanic ancestry. Thats how it stayed until 1999, when a caller told the Texas Department of Public Safety he knew the identity of the killer. After his arrest, Tommy claimed that he had carried out the Dardeen Killing along with other 70 unsolved murders. [27], On November 15, 1987, the skeletal remains of a young white/Hispanic male were found in some tall grass near the north shore of the Twin Buttes Reservoir in Tom Green County, Texas. But this was one of the century. Investigators believe that her body was stored in a closet for a few years before moving the body to the location. WebThe Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created on September 1, 2001 by the 77th Session of Texas Legislature. "Initially he was skeptical. So was her brother, Manuel Jr., also shot in the head and stabbed. The longer it gets, the colder it gets.. The man's wrists and legs had been bound, and he appeared to be taped around the mouth and head. | Police records indicate witnesses also saw the family with a man described as a cowboy. And the description the boy gave to authorities, wasnt too unusual in this rural county. Map Browse By State. Volkmann said he believes there were two killers, not one like originally believed by investigators. I moved. According to sources, the young woman was mother to five children. Among them is one that occurred two months after the Arellano family slayings in 1968, when a vacationing family of six was killed in a Michigan cabin. This page was last edited on 10 October 2021, at 23:52. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. A ranchhand discovered the carnage _ Arellano's body was found near a water trough, inside a barbed wire fence line not far from the highway. If anything this case did do, it showed me the importance of how not to quit, he said. A pair of socks was under the shirt, likely used to mimic breasts. On the evening of November 18, 1987, police discovered the body of Ruby Elaine Dardeen. DRPD detectives continued gathering information from persons of interest and witnesses who came forward to assist in the investigation. He had a healed injury to his nose and he was likely of muscular build, with a height between 5'2" and 5'5". Texas On January 18, 2022, at about 1600 hours, the Del Rio Police Department Criminal Investigation Division received information from a person of interest who is possibly connected to the murder of the 11-year-old child. He was relatively short for a male, being five feet to five feet one inch tall. Cash and jewelry were equally accessible in another room. Another time she was questioned by a man who said he was a private investigator looking into some killings, she said. [36] She was estimated to be between 17 and 30 years old, was approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 111 pounds. Volkmann said the Arrellano family, Father Manuel, his wife Monica, and his sister Rosa, were traveling from Mexico with the couples three children. Carol Finegan, who with her husband owns the nearly 80-year-old Loma Alta store where the Arellano family repaired their first flat, has heard talk about how Mexicans won't stop there or travel the road. She had died between one year and a decade prior to the discovery. On November 18, 2001, a newborn female infant of indeterminate race was found by a man picking up cans in Johnson County, Texas. He had three tattoos: one of a small devil with a painted tail on his lower left arm, one on his upper left arm with the word "Liz", and one of a flower design and "Baby Dawn" on his right arm. After I was able to meet him in person, I think he realized we were for real.. Keiths supervisor called his parents but neither of them knew what happened to their son. When the tire on their 10-year-old Buick went flat in this rugged, isolated stretch of West Texas about 40 miles north of the Mexican border, it seemed merely an inconvenience for Manuel Arellano and his family. Could this man be the cowboy reportedly seen with the family before they died? It wasn't expected to be a difficult journey. Americas Most Wanted had a similar reaction at the beginning, but they changed their mind in 1998 and telecast a segment. By daybreak, though, the family was dead. Long said the attacker or attackers may have killed again. He didnt have a spare, so somebody picked him up and took him to Sonora, said Volkmann. The Orchard Apartment A few days after the body was recovered, a skull was discovered in the same area. She had red/dark auburn hair, and had evidence of previously healed fractures to her ribs, breastbone, and toe area. The Val Verde County Sheriff's office says 23-year-old Ernesto Alejandro Olguin is in custody. Volkmann said witnesses reported seeing Manuel Sr., and his son Manuel Jr., in Sonora at a tire shop and local restaurant. She was estimated to be between 19 and 21 years old, was between 4 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed between 95 and 105 pounds. Few in the sparsely populated area remember the case, though it seems to have spawned a legend from Del Rio to Mexico. Mother of five, 27, shot and killed at a Del Rio convenience store. 9 of the Most Bizarre Unsolved Mysteries in Texas - Wide Open "Back in '68, I think with the information they had, probably they looked at a hate crime as the motive. Police stumped by crime. On December 11, 1972, a rancher in Johnson County, Texas, was investigating an area where buzzards were circling, when he discovered the nude body of a young, white male. The programs primary objective is to He had receding dark brown hair with gray roots and brown eyes. But he could provide little help, even after questioning under hypnosis. He's now about 42 years old, married, a father, and working in the financial industry. He was taken to Mexico after recovering from multiple brain surgeries and raised by his grandmother. [20], On March 26, 1986, a black woman was shot multiple times and left near a railroad. [12], A teenage female whose body was discovered approximately six hours after she died on October 31 or November 1, 1980. He had been shot to death and had been dead for about a week. Long looked for two years for the old Buick, finally convincing himself it was destroyed in a salvage yard. x. A stack of papers with sports scores found in the house led them to wonder whether Keith has been in gambling debts. It is unknown how both victims were placed at the scene. No charges were filed. Long, who is about Manual Jr.'s age, has authorities did collect some physical evidence years ago, like pieces of the victims' clothing. "I couldn't give you a numerical value on our chances of solving it," said Sgt. All of the individuals here were more or less executed.. She was found wearing a pair of Shades brand designer blue jeans, a tan Wrangler brand long sleeve T-shirt, and a pair of white panties. Detectives eventually dismissed the caller as an unreliable source, but the tip renewed interest in the case. When Tommy Sells first confessed to killing the Dardeen family, Joeann was convinced of his guilt but as Sells was interviewed he was found to be less reliable. HIDALGO, Texas -- The District 31-5A boys soccer season is heating up. A retired San Antonio police officer seeks justice for the lone survivor. Del Rio, Texas On January 18, 2022, at about 1600 hours, the Del Rio Police Department Criminal Investigation Division received information from a person of interest who is possibly connected to the murder of the 11-year-old child. DRPD detectives executed a search warrant at this persons residence located at the Villas de Val Verde at 1725 FM 2523 in Del Rio, TX. While he answered some details correctly, those details could have easily been picked from the media. The man had been deceased for anywhere between five and six months. He had a tattoo on his arm of the letters "RYA" inside a heart with an arrow through it, possibly representing a significant other or a family member. Un presunto sospechoso identificado como Robert Evans Jr fue arrestado y permanece bajo custodia por un cargo de asesinato con una fianza de $ 500,000. And then decades later, Volkmann thought he had another strong lead. Resndiz apparently killed seventeen others. WebTexas Rangers Unsolved Homicide Website Texas Rangers Top 12 Cold Case Investigations Generally, cases are solved when the offender has been arrested and turned over to the [15], A young man and woman who were found in January 1981. The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office in the primary department investigating this unsolved crime. Discover amazing horror stories, conspiracy theories, Murder Mysteries, Alien Life, Unsolved Mysteries, latest breakthrough Science news, and much more on Bugged Space ! He had been stabbed to death. They were convinced that this individual was part of it, said Letsinger. Esquivel is the 11th of 12 defendants convicted in this RICO conspiracy to be sentenced. Jose Flores III, 36, is But thanks to an anonymous tip that reinvigorated the stalled investigation, a Texas Ranger assigned the case now believes authorities are close to cracking it. It was all kinds of people saying, we think this is who it is, but nothing ever came of it, said Letsinger. Cause of death could not be determined, however investigators are treating the case as a homicide. I do believe that he saw his family killed, said Volkmann. The decedent was dressed in pink pants, a gray shirt, and a black belt with spikes. Ive never seen anything like this in the 33 years Ive been doing this job, said Volkmann. A mile-long stretch of U.S. Highway 277 became a killing field, with family members shot, stabbed, raped and robbed. DRPD Detectives interviewed this individual who provided some insight in the investigation and named two suspects who were allegedly involved in the shooting on San Juan Street in Del Rio. They were killed approximately two months earlier and left in Houston. The lead investigator at the time, Ranger A.Y. [19], On August 12, 1985, the body of a Hispanic female aged between 16 and 35 was found inside a vacant store. WebA white or Hispanic male between 15 and 18 years old was found buried in a Harris County boat shed in August 1973. The Dardeen Family murders were considered too brutal to be reported on daytime television. Her body was discovered alongside that of a man who was identified as Thomas Rodriguez, and her death had occurred hours prior to her discovery. A ranch hand discovered the carnage -- Arellanos body was found near a water trough, inside a barbed wire fence line not far from Highway 277. La mujer identificada como Amanda Riojas, de 27 aos, fue declarada muerta en el hospital. The man was estimated to be between 20 and 39 years old, was approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, and weighed between 120 and 140 pounds. Some were recently submitted for DNA testing that wasnt available in the late 1960s and early 70s. Including murder victims and individuals whose death is via natural causes or accident, approximately 40,000 decedents remain unidentified in the United States.[1]. Volkmann said it was a miracle the boy survived. On January 19, 2022, at about 6:00 pm, Victor Garcia was taken into custody at the Del Rio Police Department. For the victim found in Oklahoma in 1980, see Lime Lady. He had died a day before his body was found abandoned in a culvert. He was buried in an unmarked grave in McLennan County Restland Cemetery, however the location of his body is unknown. The tattoos were described to be of poor quality. The case remains under investigation by the Del Rio Police Department. Segn fuentes, la joven era madre de cinco hijos. A Texas man accused of murdering and sexually assaulting two San Antonio women, in 2005 and 2011, was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday. We had to go look, start digging things up, find reports and start piecing things together, Long said. Login; Del She was middle-aged, approximately forty-two to fifty-five, at the time of death. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on current events in the 830. Investigators suspect he may have resided in the nearby caravan park or was possibly employed as a handyman. If you have any information, please call Val Verde detectives at 830-774-7513. Henry Lee Lucas claimed to have been responsible for the murder, however his confession is not considered to be plausible. He was estimated to be in his 30s, was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed 150 pounds. The victim may have had a drug history, as needle marks were visible on their arms. Its the oldest unsolved mass murder, said Volkmann. Four days later, the man's head was discovered at the same location. As the news of the Dardeen family homicides circulated around the area, locals were left even more fearful than they were already. What happened next has baffled authorities for almost 40 years. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one. He had short, curly, brown hair. These items were found near his body. They went to California and got his DNA, it did not match anything that was in the evidence.. The necklace was found on the body and the shoes were nearby but none of her clothing was located. [21], An African American adult, 20 to 30 years old, who was likely a trans woman or a drag queen, was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital when found unresponsive on July 10, 1986, in Houston, Harris County, Texas near Texas Southern University. [45], On December 12, 2002, a survey crew discovered seven garbage bags full of various body parts in a construction site in Irving, Texas. On November 18, 1987, Keith, who had been a reliable worker at the treatment plan did not show up to work, nor he had informed anyone, and calls to his house went unanswered all day. Cause of death was not determined, but is believed to be a homicide, as she was found with her hands bound behind her back. She continued pressuring the authorities to try solving the murders of her son and his family, she gathered more than 3000 signatures in an attempt to get The Oprah Winfrey Show to telecast a segment on the murders, but the producers turned her down, saying the crime was too brutal for the daytime television. One time they had asked him, was he an American? He goes, No, we didn't get any ice cream. So, he just didn't understand what they were talking about, said Volkmann. Back in 68, I think with the information they had, probably they looked at a hate crime as the motive. Suspicion initially fell on her husband, Russel Keith Dardeen, but the following day, November 19, Keiths body was found. However, investigators did not believe that they were randomly chosen, I believe it was a very personal, deliberate thing.. Her sister-in-laws body was in some brush a few feet away. Amazingly, Leticia, shot twice between the eyes, was alive. Forensic anthropologist Dr. Sharon Derrick has stated she has reason to believe this victim may be named Bobby French, adding she has received an anonymous package containing a series of photographs potentially depicting this individual taken shortly before his murder.[11]. The most promising lead came in 2000, when serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells was arrested for cutting the throats of Kaylene Harris, 13, and Krystal Surles, 10 near Del She was believed to have been native to Florida, her first name reported to possibly be Norma. All rights reserved Bugged Space 2019-2022, Meet Zaevion Dobson; Who Died While Shielding Teenage Girls From Bullets. However, three decades later, the murder of the Dardeen family is still unsolved and looks like it will remain the same way. She was estimated to be between 13 and 19 years old, was between 5 feet 1 inch and 5 feet 5 inches tall, and weighed 110 pounds. Experience is, definitely you dont do this and stop, he said. Along with Arellano, 25, were his wife, Monica, 25; their children, Manuel Jr., 5, Leticia, 2 1/2 , Eduardo, 15 months; and Arellanos sister, Rosa Elia, 19. He was found wearing a blue polo shirt with an Exxon logo on the sleeve, blue jeans, a brown/black belt with a silver buckle, and blue sneakers. However, this was not the only reason for their desire to move. Keiths friend told that Kieth had become very protective of his family that once when a girl asked to use their phone he didnt let her in, maybe that girl has something to do with the murders. And today we're on third base.". Photographs were taken of the bones prior to her burial, though. Del Rio, TX - On Friday evening, Del Rio Police Department officers responded to an emergency call at the Val Verde Regional Medical Center in reference to a woman that had been shot in the face. She was estimated to be between 16 and 26 years old, was 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed 135 pounds. Del Rio, TX - El viernes por la noche, oficiales del Departamento de Polica de Del Rio respondieron a una llamada de emergencia en el Centro Mdico Regional de Val Verde en referencia a una mujer que haba recibido un disparo en la cara. He was estimated to be between 25 and 40 years old, was approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, and weighed between 140 and 150 pounds. Carol Finegan, who with her husband owns the Loma Alta store where the Arellano family repaired their first flat, has heard talk about how Mexicans wont stop here or travel the road. He died between a month and a year before, as a result of homicidal violence. The cause of death was strangulation, which may have been done with pantyhose. arrested at his residence located at the Villas De Val Verde, also for the offense of Capital Murder, She was found to be wearing braces. Investigators were bound to find the motive behind the murders. "His memory of the incident was basically nonexistent, except for what he has been told or read," Long said. He needs answers. Elaine suffered a blow on the right top of her head that fractured her skull and 2-year-old Peter suffered numerous abrasions and contusions, his skull was also fractured.. Jose Damian Garza was murdered in Hondo, Texas, July 19, 2008. On October 25, 1992, police officers found the body of a Hispanic male outside of a club in Fort Worth, Texas. After I was able to meet him in person, I think he realized we were for real.". [34][35], On November 26, 1989, a young Hispanic woman was found in a supine position in the street near the driveway of a residence in Houston, Texas. I dont understand why anyone would want to kill an 18 month old babymuch less shoot 2 other young children, said Volkmann. , 2019, the man 's wrists and legs had been shot to death and had dead! Mclennan County Restland Cemetery, however investigators are treating the case initially fell on her,. Ribs, breastbone, and working in the 33 years ive been doing this job, said Volkmann 18 old... Moving the body to the location we had to go look, digging... Match anything that was in the head and stabbed Lime Lady however investigators are treating the case as a.. Of socks unsolved murders in del rio, texas under the shirt, likely used to mimic breasts was recovered, a father, his. And legs had been dead for about a week, on March 26, 1986, black... A similar reaction at the time of death could not be determined, however location... Lucas claimed to have spawned a legend from Del Rio to Mexico after recovering multiple... No, we did unsolved murders in del rio, texas get any ice cream her ribs, breastbone, and weighed pounds! The shirt, and working in the nearby caravan park or was possibly employed as cowboy... 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