Family investigated in Pharr man's murder

REYNOSA - The family of a Pharr man brutally murdered last week could be linked to his death, Mexican authorities said Monday.

Ramiro Torres Hernández, 25, was with his wife and cousin when he was kidnapped by two men, according to authorities.

But neither the wife or cousin reported the kidnapping when it occured after midnight Wednesday, they said. The wife's and cousin's names were not released.

A family member told investigators Torres had gotten off his vehicle at a Super 7 in the Luis Donaldo Colosio neighborhood of Reynosa when he was kidnapped, homicide unit chief Fernando Miranda Guerrero said Monday.

In the parking lot, two men approached Torres and asked "Are you Ramiro?"

Torres said no, but the two men said "Yeah right, of course you are."

They then started punching him and threw him in a sand-colored Dodge Durango SUV before taking off, authorities said family members told them.

But police say none of Torres' family reported the kidnapping until police began their investigation after his body was found in a rural area headed toward Rio Bravo on Friday. Torres had been tortured, bound, shot in the head and wrapped in a blanket.

Numerous messages left for his family Monday were not returned.

Mexican authorities say Torres' relatives told them he was a Burger King manager in Hidalgo and McAllen.

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Monitor Deputy Metro Editor Deborah Martínez translated this report.

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Martha L. Hernández covers general assignments for La Frontera. She can be reached at (956) 683-4846.