The 13th Court of Appeals affirmed the 30-year sentence of Ruben Gonzalez, convicted of injury to a child and criminally negligent homicide in the 2021 death of 13-year-old Jesse Harrison Jr.

Harlingen residents will hear opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Cristóbal Garzez, accused of killing tow‑truck driver David Zapata on a Harlingen expressway. Police say Garzez struck Zapata, who was picking up a vehicle, then fled the scene. He faces multiple charges, including causing death while intoxicated, and the case will be heard locally.

Port Mansfield resident Matthew Steffen had his Ford truck stolen from the Valley International Airport parking lot in Harlingen. He left the airport on Oct. 14, returned five days later and, using the Ford app’s GPS, learned the vehicle was in Brownsville; police later recovered it with a new dent in the bumper and a front‑scratch. Airport police continue the investigation.

Julio Diaz has a hearing scheduled for Nov. 9 to consider his request for a new trial in the murders and arson cases. His defense cites a court‑appointed forensic neuropsychologist who diagnosed him with chronic schizophrenia and says he was legally insane at the time. The hearing will be in McAllen, Texas, and residents may note that Diaz posted the killing on Instagram.

Port Mansfield man Matthew Steffan got his Ford truck back after it was stolen from Valley International Airport parking and tracked to Brownsville.

Valley International Airport will conduct its triennial emergency drill on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with increased emergency vehicle presence in Harlingen.

A criminal complaint says Hidalgo police investigated a sexual assault report involving Ayala Jr. aboard El Bravo and arrested him on Oct. 23.

Christopher Lee Soto was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2023 murder of his roommate Britney Kay Ireland in Alamo.

Brownsville, TX (KRGV) — The city of Brownsville plans to use drones in its entertainment districts to help officers cover more ground and cut overtime costs, Brownsville City Attorney Will Trevino said.

A jury in San Benedict, Texas, recommended the death penalty for Rogelio Martinez, who was convicted in early October of killing police Lieutenant Milton Resendez during a 2023 police chase. Prosecutors described Martinez as a continuing danger, while his attorneys argued his childhood and mental‑health history should spare him from execution.

A tire blowout on a 1999 Ford F‑250 caused the vehicle to roll over on U.S. 281, killing Edinburg resident Arturo Ponce, 65, at the scene on Oct. 23 at about 3:09 p.m., six miles north of Premont, Texas. Two other 65‑year‑old passengers were in the truck; one was air‑lifted to Christus Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi, the other and a 42‑year‑old Tacoma driver were uninjured, and Alice Highway Patrol continues the investigation.

Texas A&M Forest Service is allocating part of its $19.6 million Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program to Rio Grande Valley stations, providing equipment, training and protective gear. In Hidalgo County, Edcouch and La Joya each receive $45,000 for slip‑on units; Progreso gets $165,000 for a brush truck, while other local departments receive smaller sums for training aids and PPE. The news release does not specify a date for the disbursements.

Jurors resumed punishment phase deliberations for Rogelio Martinez, convicted of killing San Benito police Lt. Milton Resendez during a police chase.

Palmview High School entered Secure status after a reported threat. Police later found it non-credible, and normal campus operations resumed.

The Rio Grande City Police Department, led by Chief Jose Solis, is investigating whether the same man stole packages from two homes after surveillance video captured a theft at Leanne Gallegos' house on Oct. 7. A second theft was reported about 15 miles away in the Alto Bonito area, and the videos appear to show the same individual, described as wearing a navy‑blue shirt, jeans, tennis shoes and a cap. Residents will want to know the suspect’s appearance as shown in the footage.

A Pharr man, 61‑year‑old Martin Hernandez Alvarado, was found guilty by a Hidalgo County jury on June 17 and sentenced by Judge Bobby Flores on Oct. 19 to 40 years in prison for continuous sexual abuse of a child and an additional 20 years for indecency with a child, to run concurrently. The case stemmed from allegations received by the Pharr Police Department on March 17, 2021, involving children aged 6 to 12. Residents will note the 40‑year prison term imposed.

The Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner’s Office dispatched a crew to repair Abel Montes’ collapsed driveway in Mercedes after Channel 5 News contacted the office Thursday morning. Montes said the ground gave way while he was returning from Walmart, and the city claimed the drainage ditch belongs to it but the sinkhole is on private property, complicating responsibility for the repair.

The McAllen Police Department is asking the public to help locate 27‑year‑old Carlos Alberto Moran, wanted for multiple vehicle burglaries and a stolen 2005 GMC Canyon reported on Oct. 19, 2026, at the 600 block of North McColl Road. Moran is described as 5 ft 7 in, about 130 lb, with black hair, brown eyes and a distinctive facial tattoo.