Sheriff: Weslaco man killed himself after kidnapping, raping his ex-mistress

NEAR McCOOK — A Weslaco man kidnapped his ex-mistress, raped her near a remote orchard and then ended his life with a single rifle shot to his chest, Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies said.

He died on the same date he was born.

The series of events began about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Gerardo “Jerry” Ruiz Martinez broke into the home of a woman with whom he’d had an affair, duct-taped her hands together and forced her at gunpoint into the backseat of his green 1999 Mercury Sable, Sheriff Lupe Treviño said.

The woman told authorities that Martinez, who turned 37 on Wednesday, took her to an orchard east of Western Road along 13 Mile North near McCook.

Martinez sexually assaulted her there in the back seat of the Sable, the victim told deputies. He eventually told her he would remove the duct tape from her wrists if she would stop screaming.

It is The Monitor’s policy not to identify those who may be victims of sex crimes.

Martinez, who was married, unbound his ex-mistress, called 9-1-1 from his cell phone and handed the phone to her, the sheriff’s office reported. He told her to tell the dispatcher that he was going to kill himself.

Minutes later, the woman recounted to investigators, she saw headlights as a patrol deputy approached the area in an SUV. Martinez bailed out of the Mercury with his .223-caliber Ruger rifle and ran north into a nearby orchard.

The deputy and the woman then heard the crack of a single gunshot come from within the grove.

Investigators searched the orchard and found Martinez dead with a gunshot wound to his chest, deputies said. The rifle and spent cartridge were beside him.

“It escalated to this point,” the sheriff said.

Deputies later learned the woman had an affair with Martinez but had ended the relationship, Treviño said. Martinez tried to go back to her but she refused.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.