Posted on 05/19/2006 2:49:05 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
One of the suspects sought to join Texas Syndicate, affidavit states
A Port Isabel fisherman was lured to his death in a West Brownsville park late Monday during a mans initiation into a Texas prison gang, according to court records released Thursday.
Brownsville police on Wednesday arrested Jose Miguel Vasquez Jr., 39, and Andres Garcia, 25, on murder charges in the stabbing death of 47-year-old George Garza.
A probable cause affidavit released after their Thursday morning arraignment states that the two men used a knife to stab Garza to death as part of Garcias initiation into the Texas Syndicate prison gang.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safetys Criminal Intelligence Service, the Texas Syndicate was founded in the early 1970s by Mexican-American inmates from Texas who were housed in Californias Folsom Prison.
The Mexican-American inmates originating from Texas have always been the most feared due to their fierce loyalty to one another, above all else, officials said in a DPS report.
Ana Ayala, Vasquezs girlfriend and co-defendant in several recent robberies, told police that Garza was a member of the rival Valluco prison gang and that Vasquez and Garcia lured Garza to Oliveira Park under the pretense of a business deal involving several pounds of marijuana.
Police records state that Ayala and Vasquez are believed to be responsible for a three-day string of robberies and other violent crimes that ended with their arrests Wednesday after an alleged purse snatching.
Ayala told investigators that Garza picked up her and Vasquez in his truck Monday night and that the three of them went to Garcias house in the 1300 block of West Washington Street.
Vasquez and Garcia told Garza that they had stashed several pounds of marijuana in a field off Wildrose Lane.
The four drove in Garzas truck and Garcias car to Oliveira Park, where Vasquez allegedly bound Ayala with duct tape inside the truck before leaving with Garza and Garcia in Garcias car.
The 18-year-old woman told police that Vasquez returned to the truck covered in mud and blood and then told her that he and Garcia killed Garza as part of Garcias initiation into the Texas Syndicate.
The affidavit states that Jose Miguel Vasquez showed her a knife that still had blood on it and that he licked the blood off the blade and then licked her cheek with the blood.
Vasquez, Ayala and Garcia returned to Garcias West Washington Street home to clean up, and Vasquez burned his clothes in the back yard.
Brownsville Independent School District maintenance workers found Garzas body in a ditch along the westbound lane of Wildrose Lane at 6:50 a.m. Tuesday.
Garza was face down in the mud and with 13 stab wounds to the chest, back and arms.
Cracking the Case
Brownsville Police Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique said a series of clues from five different violent crimes led investigators to bring murder charges against Vasquez and Garcia.
Police reports state that Vasquez and Ayala were implicated in the theft of a motor vehicle off Austin Road on Sunday and for the stabbing of a man in a robbery near the citys airport late Monday afternoon.
The couple allegedly carjacked a good Samaritan who stopped to help them on East 30th Street Monday night.
Vasquez and Ayala were seen driving Garzas red Ford F-150 during another crime in the Southmost area Tuesday morning.
Manrrique said investigators believe the couple committed the crimes to feed an expensive and addictive crack habit.
The couple was arrested on Wednesday morning after they tried to rob a woman selling tamales at the AutoZone at the corner of Central Boulevard and Jefferson Street, police said.
A passing police officer arrested Ayala in the parking lot of the store while Vasquez was found hiding in an outdoor utility closet of the nearby Tropical Motel.
Manrrique said police recovered a knife in a vehicle that the couple had used during their crime spree, but that authorities sent the weapon to a lab to determine if it was the knife used to kill Garza.
The Charges
Jail records show that Vasquez is being held under $1.25 million in cash bonds for aggravated assault, robbery, state jail felony theft and murder charges.
Garcia is being held under a $750,000 cash bond for murder, while Ayala remains in custody under $150,000 in bonds for aggravated assault and robbery charges.
Manrrique said Vasquez and Ayala could face more charges for their Bonnie and Clyde spree.
Under state law, Vasquez and Garcia could face capital murder charges and the death penalty if authorities determine that they received payment or another type of benefit or remuneration for committing the crime.
During his Thursday morning arraignment before Brownsville Municipal Judge Phil Bellamy, Vasquez entered the courtroom handcuffed and shackled but with his head held high and a strut in his walk.
Vasquez proudly flashed a gang sign to news cameras and later used his hand to twirl a loose part of a chain around his waist during the proceedings.
Vasquez twice told Bellamy he was a Tejano when asked about his citizenship.
Cameron County Chief Deputy Gus Reyna said Vasquez and Garcia would be segregated from the general population of the Cameron County jail for their own safety and the safety of other inmates.
schapa@brownsvilleherald.com
I think you are confusing Aztlan with America.
No, congress is responsible for the illegal immigration problem and local law enforcement for the gang problem. As for as Tejano or Texas problems then it our lawmakers problem. How bot Rita and Katrina , that Bush's fault too?Shall we also blame him for the KKK? Next thing you know you will be blaming him for 9/11.
No, Aztlan is more akin to the Mexican Mafia. Do you have any idea how much racism there is amongst and between spanish speaking people on this continent?
Substitute the word bigotry for racism in the above post.
What is the President responsible for?
What does that have to do about an article you posted about scumbag prison gangs. Why did you bring up the President when you posted an article about murderers and thieves.
See #22.
No, your post #1 mentioned President Bush, from the gitgo.
Texan in Spanish is texan, not tejano.
"Because if he was born in Texas he was most likely born an anchor baby and Bush wants more of those."
He could have been..."born on THE RANCH".(wink)
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