Thread: TX-Gang members appear in court on murder charges

Gang members appear in court on murder charges

April 18, 2008 - 10:51PM
José Borjón (The Brownsville Herald)
BROWNSVILLE - At least two members of the Mexican Mafia are slated to be tried for the killing of a Harlingen woman.

Jesus Gonzalez Jr. and Oscar Esteban Salazar are scheduled to stand trial on two counts of murder and one count of engaging in organized criminal activity, respectively, according to court documents.

The two men, along with Ricardo De la Rosa, Bernardo Cortez and Manuel Alonzo Treviño, are accused in the November 2003 slaying of 33-year-old JoAnn Chavez. De la Rosa, Cortez and Treviño are also charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.

All five of the accused appeared Friday before Judge Migdalia Lopez of the 197th state District Court.

It was unknown Friday afternoon if De la Rosa, Cortez, and Treviño would stand trial for their alleged participation in the killing or if they pleaded guilty to the charges.

Gonzalez's attorney, Hector Garza, said his client's trial is scheduled for June 28 before Lopez.

In open court, attorneys agreed Salazar would stand trial Aug. 15, also before Lopez.

Authorities found Chavez's remains on a Willacy County ranch in 2005 and shortly thereafter indicted Gonzalez, Salazar, De la Rosa, Cortez and Treviño.

Also indicted on charges of murder and engaging in organized criminal activity were Luis Carlos Mares, Wilfredo Padilla, Marcos Illian Solis, Ricardo Reyes-Velasquez and Ricardo Davila, court records show.

In March 2007, Mares pleaded guilty to killing Chavez, and Lopez sentenced him to 60 years in prison, according to Brownsville Herald archives.

On Wednesday, Davila pleaded guilty to killing Chavez.

Chuck Mattingly, first assistant district attorney for Cameron County, refused to comment on the case Friday.

District Attorney Armando Villalobos e-mailed The Brownsville Herald late Friday afternoon informing the newspaper Lopez issued a gag order prohibiting attorneys from commenting on the case. The Herald was unable to obtain court documents Friday afternoon to confirm the gag order.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/court_11 ... urder.html

First of all are these guys illegals, and being involved in what they are involved in the state should seek the death penalty, why waste American taxpayer dollars incarcerating scum like this.[/i]