They wanted to move somewhere safer for their children. But this was one of the century. This article "List of unidentified murder victims in Texas" is from Wikipedia. participated in the fatal shooting of the 11-year-old boy. 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. Chased on Vacation and Told of Unsolved Murders in Del Rio, "I think now we put that reversed. There is a reason why this murder is unsolved for over three decades, whether it was the murder of all family members or no motive was found behind the killing. He apparently had given the family a ride 30 miles north to the service station before heading back with them to where the car was stranded. He was white with possible Native American or Hispanic ancestry. What happened next has baffled authorities for almost 40 years. 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. El caso sigue siendo investigado por el Departamento de Polica de Del Rio. An alleged He and Elaine rented the land it sat on from a nearby farming couple. "But I can tell you this: In 1998, law enforcement wasn't even in the ball park. [25]. He had black straight hair, and light brown skin. In 2013, his body was exhumed for DNA analysis. No charges ever were filed. Mother of five, 27, shot and killed at a Del Rio convenience store. Four days later, the man's head was discovered at the same location. A mile-long stretch of U.S. Highway 277 became a killing field, with family members shot, stabbed, raped and robbed. His weight and eye color could not be ascertained, as various foraging animals had caused extensive damage to the body. I do believe that he saw his family killed, said Volkmann. Long, who is about Manual Jr.'s age, has authorities did collect some physical evidence years ago, like pieces of the victims' clothing. Arellano was familiar with the United States, spoke fluent English and had been a migrant farmworker in Iowa. Her head was not found at the scene, nor recovered. A pair of athletic shoes and an unfired .32 caliber cartridge were also found with the body. DRPD, along with the following agencies: Val Verde County Sheriffs Office Investigators, Department of Public Safety CID Agents, Homeland Security Investigation Agents and Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the arrest of Aldo Esquivel at his residence. [4][5][6] This decedent was between 5 feet 2 and 5 feet 7 inches tall, had dark brown hair, approximately seven inches in length,[7] and is believed to have worn multicolored, striped swim trunks, boots, and a shirt displaying a peace symbol. [42], On September 17, 1990, the body of a middle aged white/Hispanic man was found about five miles north of Roscoe, Texas, and about a mile north of Interstate 20 in rural Nolan County, Texas. He gave a kind of description about a tall cowboy, with a cowboy hat and high top boots with his pants inside his boots, said Letsinger. I didn't think that one man could have caused all this damage and turmoil by himself, said Volkmann. An alleged suspect identified as Robert Evans Jr was arrested and remains in custody on a murder charge with a $500,000 bond. After her body remained unidentified, she was buried in an unmarked grave in a potter's field. "We had to go look, start digging things up, find reports and start piecing things together," Long said. 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. "It had been worked to exhaustion," he said. Her ears had also been pierced. No one had a hint of what was inside, once inside, they met a horrid scene that would mentally scar them for the rest of their lives. Investigators say that without these two bones, a traditional 3D reconstruction cannot be made. While many of the murders that take place in the Rio Grande Valley are quickly [46], On April 28, 2007, the body of a middle aged Hispanic man was discovered by a group of community service workers, found floating in Double Bayou in Anahuac, Texas. "His memory of the incident was basically nonexistent, except for what he has been told or read," Long said. Joeann said later that I think someone wanted Keith to sell drugs, and he refused. Several years later in 1997, she said, or theres a possibility someone like Elaine, and she would not accept his advances and he took out his rage on both of them We just dont know., The murder of the Dardeen family was so brutal that some believed that it have been a work of a cult trying to appease the Devil, but no symbols related to a ritual were found in the trailer. She was estimated to be between the ages of 14 and 18 years old with brown hair and brown or hazel eyes. 3 Steve Berg dies, NEWS Council approves hiring aviation consultants, NEWS Former mayor comments to council about airlines. Based on information from a Sonora service station attendant who repaired the tire for the family, police distributed a sketch of a possible suspect _ a tall, sandy-haired man in his 30s, wearing a straw cowboy hat, who was accompanying them. This has led to his nickname, "White Socks". La comunidad de Weslaco se reuni para su Valley cotton farmers concerned over low water McAllen interim fire chief offers spring break McAllen airport looking for new airline to McAllen airport looking for new airline to offer direct flights to Mexico. [19], On August 12, 1985, the body of a Hispanic female aged between 16 and 35 was found inside a vacant store. She had been beaten to death; to the point where her face was unrecognizable. Her eyes were also brown. Since her discovery, a three-dimensional reconstruction and a sketch have been created of the victim. She was described as wearing a yellow pullover sweater and red heeled sandals. Keith was sexually mutilated, and investigators ruled out sexual motivation. He was described as having a medium build. He was estimated to be in his 30s, was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed 150 pounds. "It seemed like a ghost thing they were talking about, or something like that," said Finegan, whose store is the lone oasis on the winding 90-mile highway between Del Rio and Sonora. 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. On December 10, 1980, a young African American female was found lying under a mattress, under Interstate 45, about six miles north of downtown Houston, Texas. WebThe Great Flatonia Train Robbery by Murray Montgomery 1-14-22; In and Out of the Old Gillespie County Jail by Michael Barr 4-1-21; Chipita's Ghost by Murray Montgomery 12-14-20; Casner Cold Case by Clay Coppedge 7-11-20; How Tascosa Got Boot Hill by Mike Cox 4-8-20; The Great Greyhound Hijacking on Route 66 in 1931 by Mike Cox 1-17-20 The man's wrists and legs had been bound, and he appeared to be taped around the mouth and head. Based on information from a Sonora service station attendant who repaired the tire for the family, police distributed a sketch of a possible suspect -- a tall, sandy-haired man in his 30s, wearing a straw cowboy hat and driving a pickup truck. But he could provide little help, even after questioning under hypnosis. The area in which her body was found was a spot typically used for tractor-trailers to park. And the Im not able to sleep at night, sometimes I walk the floor, and I keep playing these photographs in the back of my mind, said Volkmann. According to police documents, the familys car had a flat tire off a remote stretch of Highway 277 between Del Rio and Sonora. It's a new season for cotton farmers in the Rio Grande Valley, but its already not looking good. A witness transported the woman to the hospital after being shot outside a local convenience store. Experience is, definitely you dont do this and stop, he said. Sanchez had been a long time person of interest in the case, but officers initially did not have enough evidence to charge him. [29], The skeletal remains of a male between the ages of 27 and 38 were found on October 3, 1988, in Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas, near an RV park. [39] The victim wore black pants, socks and shoes as well as a white bra, panties and a pullover. Its the oldest unsolved mass murder, said Volkmann. The Orchard Apartment The victim's race was either Hispanic or Caucasian, possibly being a mix of both. DRPD detectives applied for arrest warrants for the offense of Capital Murder on the following suspects: Aldo Esquivel, 18-years-old, and Victor Garcia, 17-years old. Austin Monthly Austin Home Newsletters. Determining the motive behind the murder was difficult in the case, the back door was unlocked; there was no evidence of forced entry and a VCR and portable camera were in plain sight in the living room. Deformities were also present on the feet. The attendant couldn't identify any of them as the man he saw. He didnt have a spare, so somebody picked him up and took him to Sonora, said Volkmann. They relied on a good Samaritan to take them about 30 miles up the lonely road to Sonora to get that tire repaired and return them to their car. Although one of the investigators spoke Spanish to the little boy, Volkmann still believes a language barrier may have misled investigators on other leads. Some were recently submitted for DNA testing that wasnt available in the late 1960s and early 70s. The Sheriffs Office is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Victor Garcia, a suspect in a capital murder case. [3], This youth is the only still-unidentified victim of serial killer Dean Corll, who, together with two teenage accomplices, killed at least 28 boys and young men between 1970 and 1973. I moved. contact the City of Del Rio Police Department at(830) 309-8770 and (830) 313-1593. Investigators said an additional person is involved in the case, but their identity and role have not been released. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. We came to realize this is a case that needs to be looked at again. Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez said 23-year-old Ernesto Alejandro Olguin was taken into custody as he was trying to leave town Sunday night off Highway 90 on the way to Bracketville. Keith had been shot three times, on his skull, the right side of his face, and his left cheek. [45], On December 12, 2002, a survey crew discovered seven garbage bags full of various body parts in a construction site in Irving, Texas. This week's weather is raising the chance of Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023: Warm and Sunny, temps in the 90s. Detectives traced the caller and eventually dismissed him as an unreliable source, but the tip renewed interest in the case. The couple had other relatives in Texas, and their car carried Texas license plates and election stickers promoting a relative running for sheriff in Zavala County. Keiths mother Joeann said that someone wanted him to sell drugs and Keith refused them and he or they may have killed his family. Arellano fixed the flat, but had another one a few miles farther north. [28], In May, 2019, the DNA Doe Project was asked to assist with the victim's identification. Leticia died two days later. On October 10, 1987, the decomposed body of a young white male was found in a field in an unincorporated area of Tarrant County, Texas, close to Benbrook Lake. Anyone with information. Investigators could not find any extramarital affairs involving either Keith or Elaine, which could have resulted in a jealous rage, nor they could find any grudge or debt troubles. It appeared the man had been dragged outside of the club, possibly by a worker who had been cleaning up for the night. Few cold cases, however, compare to these two grisly incidences of murder that occurred almost 100 years apart. Romeo Sanchez, was accused of stabbing the victim to death while fighting with the victim inside of the bar. COVID origins? And today we're on third base.". "If anything this case did do, it showed me the importance of how not to quit," Long said. As another year passes, and another year the case gets colder, Volkmann still sorts through all the nearly dozen binders of evidence. The woman, along with her boyfriend, has never been identified. 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 Keiths mother discarded his claims and said Keith was far too protective of his family to do such a thing. 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. He said its something he takes home with him at night. There had been 15 homicides in Jefferson County in the previous two years. The family lived at 33 Del Rio Dr., a Colonial-style home in the Evans Farm neighborhood in Brighton. Investigators weren't even certain how many suspects to hunt. [36] She was estimated to be between 17 and 30 years old, was approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 111 pounds. The car was found about eight miles south of the bodies, still with a flat tire. A stack of papers with sports scores found in the house led them to wonder whether Keith has been in gambling debts. [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. Ive never seen anything like this in the 33 years Ive been doing this job, said Volkmann. He had received multiple stab wounds, both his hands had been removed and he had received extensive trauma to the face. She was found to be wearing braces. She was estimated to be between 16 and 26 years old, was 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed 135 pounds. In most murder cases, a body is discovered. In 1986, Keith purchased a trailer after completing the training required for his job as a treatment plant operator. Crime Person of interest in murder of Del Rio mother now in custody, authorities say The Val Verde County Sheriff's office says 23-year-old Ernesto Alejandro A murder mystery that's baffled Texas lawmen for over 50 years 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. And today were on third base.. Some two weeks after his attack, the boy was able to tell authorities about a white man, a big cowboy, who was helping them, then killed his father. Her remains were exhumed in 2006 for analysis, however the maxilla and jaw bone were not found in the grave. "Initially he was skeptical. He had light brown hair with a mustache and goatee, and brown eyes. I think you have a robbery that kind of gets out of hand that leads to murder and sexual assault.. Investigators believe that her body was stored in a closet for a few years before moving the body to the location. Sells claimed in 2010 that he met Keith at a truck stop, and while telling the story again he said he met him at a local pool hall, in both versions he said that Keith invited him for dinner and a three-way with him and Elaine. That's how it stayed until 1999, when a caller told the Texas Department of Public Safety he knew the identity of the killer. Keiths parents became concerned and called the sheriffs office and agreed to drive down to Ina with the house key and meet the deputies. Other distinctive details regarding this decedent include two sets of distinctive earrings she had worn which contained beads and shells, a tattoo of the letter 'V' on her upper left arm, and a scar resulting from her gallbladder being removed. [9] DNA testing conducted in 2008 did not match any missing person report. 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 the description the boy gave to authorities, wasnt too unusual in this rural county. The perpetrator(s) also brutally beat her newborn to death. His wifes body was in a ditch about a mile south. They were on a real hot track for a while, and it just went cold for some reason or another, said Volkmann. [16], On October 29, 1981, the partial skeletal remains of a teenage, white female were discovered by a TxDOT worker on Farm Route 244 in Grimes County, Texas, just south of Iola. So was her brother, Manuel Jr., also shot in the head and stabbed. But thanks to an anonymous tip that reinvigorated the stalled Arellano investigation, a Texas Ranger assigned the case now believes authorities are close to cracking it. WebThe Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program was created on September 1, 2001 by the 77th Session of Texas Legislature. The tattoos were described to be of poor quality. His hair was dark brown with some gray visible. 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. She was middle-aged, approximately forty-two to fifty-five, at the time of death. 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. On the evening of November 18, 1987, police discovered the body of Ruby Elaine Dardeen. They went to California and got his DNA, it did not match anything that was in the evidence.. 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