Public Safety
Public Safety news from McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.
Public SafetyInterim appointed following resignation of Escobares police chief over DWI arrest
The Escobares city council has appointed Lt. Jesse Alvarez as the interim police chief after the resignation of Nelson Martinez, who stepped down following a DWI arrest on April 30 in La Grulla. The council convened a special meeting on Friday to address the situation. During a previous meeting on Thursday, the commissioners accepted Martinez's resignation. Alvarez expressed his honor in taking on the role, acknowledging the department's recent challenges and emphasizing his commitment to rebuilding trust within the police force under the new administration.
Public SafetyCameron County jails drop below capacity amid state compliance monitoring
Cameron County jails have recently dropped below state capacity limits, a necessary step to regain compliance after being found overcrowded in April. Sheriff Manny Treviño is collaborating with local judges and the district attorney to expedite court cases, addressing the issue of the state not transferring inmates to other facilities. The county is now required to report daily inmate numbers to the state for ongoing monitoring. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards confirmed the jails are under capacity but will continue to oversee the situation. A successful re-inspection could lead to a new compliance certificate, while failure may result in further inspections and potential population reductions.
Public SafetyTemporary Road Closure Scheduled for Diamondback Dr., May 26-June 30
Diamondback Dr. will be temporarily closed from Shary Rd. to Glasscock Rd. starting Monday, May 25, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. This closure is part of drainage infrastructure improvements being carried out by Venser Contractors LLC for the Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1. The project includes the installation of a 48-inch reinforced concrete pipe for stormwater drainage. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes and exercise caution in the area. The community's patience is appreciated during this construction period.
Public SafetyAnnual Memorial Service Honors DPS Personnel Lost in the Line of Duty
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) held its annual Peace Officers Memorial Service in Austin, honoring officers and non-commissioned employees who lost their lives in the line of duty. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows and DPS leadership attended the event, which included a wreath-laying ceremony for Trooper Jerry Wayne Adamick Jr. and Trooper Daniel Robert Shown, whose names were recently added to the DPS Wall of Honor. The memorial features 245 names of DPS personnel who have died since the agency's inception in the 19th century, emphasizing the commitment to remember their sacrifices.
Public SafetyRoad closures happening in Harlingen due to graduation ceremonies
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Harlingen Police Department is advising the public about scheduled road closures due to high school graduations on Friday. Starting at 3 p.m., 13th Street will be closed from Jefferson Street to E. Harrison, and Jefferson Street will be closed between 13th Street and 77 Sunshine Strip. The graduation schedule is as
Public SafetyBorder Patrol Seizes Drug Shipment in the Rio Grande Valley
According to federal authorities, the seizure represents significant economic losses for drug trafficking groups and prevents the drugs from reaching the streets of the region. The federal agency reported that approximately 67 pounds of cocaine were confiscated. So far, no additional details have been released regarding the exact location of the seizure or any potential arrests related to the case.
Public SafetyChelsea Man Accused of Burning His 2-Year-Old Son with a Lighter and Choking His Nephew
A man from Chelsea, Massachusetts, appeared in court for arraignment on multiple assault-related charges after allegedly burning his 2-year-old son with a lighter and physically assaulting his 3-year-old nephew by hitting him and attempting to choke him. According to details presented in court, 19-year-old Kener Bautista-Zepeda allegedly assaulted both children and fled to Virginia after being confronted by his nephew's mother, who noticed a series of marks and injuries. Assistant District Attorney Allyson Portney stated that Bautista-Zepeda is charged with 'two counts of extreme violence against minors' living with him in the same home. He was indicted by a grand jury on May 20 on charges including assault, reckless endangerment of a child, strangulation, and suffocation. In court, it was detailed that on March 12, 2025, Chelsea police responded to a report of domestic violence. Upon arrival, they spoke with the mother of the 2-year-old, who reported that the night before, her boyfriend, Bautista-Zepeda, the child's father, 'had acted aggressively towards her.' He pushed and hit her, and during the argument, the 2-year-old began to cry, according to the report. Bautista-Zepeda became enraged and used a lighter to burn the child on the upper back. Officers observed the resulting burn on the child, indicating it was the size of a nickel. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visit www.thehotline.org, or text LOVEIS to 22522. Then, on April 5, Portney reported that Revere police went to Boston Medical Center to investigate a report that Bautista-Zepeda had physically assaulted another child, his 3-year-old nephew. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the child's mother, who stated that Bautista-Zepeda regularly cared for her son. She reported that several weeks earlier, she had noticed burns on her son's arm, apparently caused by a hot fork. After this incident, the mother installed a camera in the child's room, and on April 3, around 11 a.m., the camera recorded Bautista-Zepeda violently assaulting the child. Prosecutors indicated that the 30-second recording showed the child lying on the bed. The child gets up and walks towards Bautista-Zepeda with his arms outstretched, as if wanting to be picked up. Bautista-Zepeda is then seen lifting the child with both hands above his head, just inches from the ceiling, and then throwing him onto the bed. The child begins to cry in pain, and Bautista-Zepeda punches him three times in the abdomen, according to the recording. He then gets on top of the child, covering his mouth and nose with both hands and applying pressure to his neck, face, and nose for about 19 seconds. The child is seen struggling to breathe and trying to move while Bautista-Zepeda applies pressure. When the child's mother confronted Bautista-Zepeda and told him she had recorded the incident, he fled and turned off his cell phone. A month later, he was found hiding in a forest in Loudoun County, Virginia, last week. Defense attorney Lumina Sato did not oppose Bautista-Zepeda remaining held without bail, arguing that she wants to review all information before the dangerousness hearing scheduled for May 28. Bautista-Zepeda will remain in custody until that date. Bautista-Zepeda was charged with 12 counts related to domestic violence for injuries suffered by the two minors. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing next week.
Public SafetyUnbelievable: Passenger Attempts to Open Airplane Door at 36,000 Feet
NEW JERSEY – A United Airlines flight that took off from Newark Liberty Airport had to make an emergency landing at Washington Dulles after a passenger allegedly tried to open a door mid-flight, according to the airline and air traffic controllers. The incident occurred Thursday night aboard United Flight 1551, which had departed Newark around 7 p.m. en route to Guatemala City. Hours later, the Boeing 737 Max 8, carrying 145 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at Dulles Airport in Virginia. Upon arrival, federal agents boarded the aircraft and arrested the involved passenger. Reports indicate that the man also allegedly attacked another passenger near the door he attempted to open. The severity of the victim's injuries has not yet been reported.
Public SafetyOfficer in Critical Condition After Being Shot at Indiana Hospital
A LaPorte County sheriff's deputy in Indiana was shot by a suspect inside the emergency room of a hospital in Michigan City on Friday and is in critical condition, authorities reported. In a press conference following the shooting, officials stated that Officer Jon Samuelson, 33, was shot while assisting what he believed to be a stranded motorist in need of medical attention. Indiana State Police Sergeant Glen Fifield said a preliminary investigation revealed that Samuelson had stopped to help someone he thought was a stranded driver whose vehicle had broken down around 6:45 a.m. in La Porte County, just outside Westville. Samuelson took the driver to Franciscan Health hospital in Michigan City at the man's request; however, once he exited the hospital building, he learned that the driver 'may have been involved in a prior criminal incident.' After returning to the hospital, a confrontation erupted in the emergency room, during which the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot at the officer, Fifield explained. The suspect then fled on foot, running through the parking lot toward a wooded area. 'Responding officers quickly located the suspect in that wooded area and took him into custody without further incident. During the search for the suspect, they were able to locate a gun that he had in his possession,' Fifield noted.
Public SafetyThe Rubio Murders: Exclusive access to the evidence
Editor's note: Content may be graphic and disturbing for viewers. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — CBS 4 News obtained exclusive access to review and film the physical evidence collected in the John Allen Rubio capital murder case. Rubio was convicted of four counts of capital murder for mutilating and beheading his three children, Julissa, John, and Mary
Public SafetyThe Rubio Murders: The Countdown to Execution
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The death penalty is a punishment reserved for the worst of the worst criminals. According to two juries, that’s the only rightful punishment for child killer John Allen Rubio. During our CBS 4 series, The Rubio Murders, viewers learned about the brutality of the crime and got an exclusive look at the
Public SafetyBrownsville man speaking out after purchasing stolen gun from pawn shop
A Brownsville man, Jerome Crockett, 59, experienced a shocking turn of events after purchasing a Glock 17 for nearly $300 from a pawn shop, only to discover it was stolen. The gun was seized by Cameron County deputies during a traffic stop involving his son. Sheriff Manuel Treviño explained that the weapon was reported stolen from San Antonio. Crockett provided proof of purchase, which prevented his arrest. Investigators found the original owner had pawned the gun multiple times before reporting it stolen. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now working to clear the weapon for return. Crockett plans to seek a refund and buy from a reputable store in the future.
Public SafetyEchoes across 23 years: The legal timeline of the Rubio murders
Channel 5 News will air a special documentary titled "Echoes from Brownsville: The Rubio Murders," detailing the tragic 2003 murders of three children by their parents in Brownsville. The film includes an interview with John Allen Rubio, who is on death row, and insights from the police involved in the case. After the children were discovered dead on March 11, 2003, their parents were arrested, leading to a death penalty trial for Rubio. His conviction was overturned in 2007, but he was retried in 2010 and found guilty again. Appeals have continued for over a decade, with a new execution date set for November 2023, pending a competency motion.
Public SafetyMexican man in cocaine-filled van arrested at Hidalgo bridge: CBP
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested a Mexican man accused of attempting to smuggle 45 pounds of cocaine across the Hidalgo International Bridge earlier this month. The drug bust happened on May 1 after a Chrysler Pacifica was sent to a secondary inspection following an alert from a K-9. Inside the
Public SafetyCBP Officers Seize More Than $14 Million in Meth at Pharr International Bridge
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Pharr International Bridge seized over $14 million worth of methamphetamine on May 16. The officers inspected a tractor trailer carrying lettuce from Reynosa, Mexico, using nonintrusive inspection equipment, which revealed anomalies. A subsequent physical inspection uncovered 307 packages of meth weighing a total of 1,644.64 pounds (746 kg). The narcotics and the vehicle were confiscated, and a criminal investigation was launched by Homeland Security Investigations. Port Director Carlos Rodriguez emphasized the importance of CBP's efforts in preventing dangerous drugs from reaching American streets.
Public SafetyCBP Officers Seize $604K in Cocaine at Hidalgo International Bridge
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge seized over $600,000 worth of cocaine on May 1. The drugs, weighing 45.23 pounds, were discovered in a Chrysler Pacifica driven by a 48-year-old Mexican man after a K-9 alert prompted a secondary inspection. A nonintrusive examination revealed 18 packages of suspected cocaine hidden in the vehicle. The total street value of the seized cocaine is estimated at $604,026. The narcotics and the vehicle were confiscated, and the driver was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations, which has launched a criminal investigation.
Public SafetyCharges Revealed for Suspect in Homicide and Assault Case in Alton
In a case that occurred in October 2025 in the city of Alton, authorities revealed that the accused, William Ricardo Hernández, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, involuntary manslaughter, and murder. According to records, some of the charges were filed by the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and others by the Alton Police Department. This case, reported on the night of October 23, 2025, on the 1400 block of North Oak Street, involved a 32-year-old woman who reported an attack by several individuals and identified Juventino Rosales, Danny Treviño, Crystal Treviño, and Vanessa Hernández as alleged participants. Rosales allegedly pointed a firearm at the victim's youngest son while trying to protect his mother. Hours later, officers responded to a crash near South Stewart and East Israel, where it was determined that 34-year-old William Hernández allegedly intentionally struck the vehicle occupied by Danny Treviño, his wife, and two minors. Treviño died as a result of injuries sustained at DHR Health hospital.
Public SafetyAfter five decades and 600 executions, these are the last words in Texas's death row
HOUSTON, Texas – Strapped to a gurney, moments from death, prisoners in Texas's execution chamber have been asked a solemn question since the state began administering lethal injections: Do you have any last statements? Over more than five decades, hundreds have spoken up, envisioning their entry into heaven, pleading for forgiveness, and trying to make amends for their crimes. They have lashed out at the judicial system, proclaimed their innocence, and condemned the death penalty. They have expressed acceptance and urged the warden to proceed: 'I’m ready.' 'Send me home.' 'Goodbye.' For a person to end up on the state's death row, a unanimous jury must find them guilty of capital murder, a crime that carries aggravating factors such as the murder of multiple victims or a law enforcement officer. The crimes of those executed have included the murders of wives and children, store clerks, and strangers. Among the condemned are serial killers, bank robbers, and self-proclaimed racists.
Public SafetyAfter DWI arrest, judge recommends Panama Unit cop spend 15 days in jail
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A judge on Wednesday recommended that former police Inv. Alexis Espinoza, who pleaded guilty in the Panama Unit corruption case, spend 15 days in jail for violating the terms of his supervised release. During a hearing on Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis determined Alexis Rigoberto Espinoza, 42, of