Police: Home invasion apparent message from Gulf Cartel

MISSION — Police arrested a man and a woman they said took part in a home invasion that was apparently carried out to serve as a message from the Gulf Cartel to the four victims.

The arrest of Roberto Esteban Garza, 19, and Irma Jessica Leal, 20, also led Mission police to a stash house in Edinburg, where 30 illegal immigrants hid, Sgt. Jody Tittle said.

According to court documents, it all began shortly before midnight Sunday when Claudia Murillo, 29, heard her dogs barking outside her residence in the 500 block of S. Mile Road. Murillo shares the house with three other roommates — Eloy Garcia Mascarenas, 29, Lindolfo Rivera, 24, and Rolando Roel Romero, 24.

Murillo told police she opened her front door to investigate and that’s when she spotted a blond-haired woman who was looking for a person named Noel, the documents stated. Police later identified that woman as Leal.

When Murillo turned back to look into her home, she noticed an unidentified man wearing a black ski mask had entered the residence and was standing next to her roommate’s bedroom door, holding an AK-47, police said in their reports.

A second man with hazel-colored eyes walked into the house as Murillo reached for her phone, investigators said. Armed with a black rifle, he ordered Murillo to sit down and threatened to kill her if she did otherwise.

Both suspects then banged on the bedroom door, where the three other victims — Romero, Mascarenas and Rivera — were, police said. Romero managed to escape and told Murillo the suspects were beating the two other victims with a baseball bat.

Romero and Murillo escaped to get help through the back door as the other two victims were chased out into the carport and driveway area through the front door by the two attackers, records showed. The suspects ordered Mascarenas and Rivera to the ground and they began kicking and beating them with a bat. Rivera appeared to have suffered a broken nose, police said.

 That’s when the victims noticed a third man — later identified as Garza —waiting in a red Ford Mustang, while Leal stood by a dark-colored SUV, possibly a PT Cruiser, documents show.

Police said Leal yelled at both victims “why are you running?” as the two male subjects beat them.

“Donde está la raza, la familia?” the assailants asked the victims in Spanish as they continued the pounding. (Where is everybody, the family?) “We have a message from the Gulf Cartel.”

A few moments after that, Garza left the area in the red Mustang and Leal and the two attackers boarded the SUV and sped off, police said.

A Mission police officer spotted Garza driving near the area of Conway and eastbound frontage road a few moments later and arrested him after the victims positively identified him, police said. Inside the vehicle, officers found a black purse that belonged to Leal.

The contents of the purse led police to a stash house on Rodriguez Street, near Sugar and Monte Cristo roads in Edinburg, records showed. Edinburg and Mission police arrested 15 people at the home, while another 15 escaped through the back door.

A Mission municipal judge charged Garza and Leal with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony, police said. Their bond was set at $1 million each.

If convicted, they could face between five years and life in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Police continued to search for the attackers Tuesday. Anyone with information is urged to call Mission Crime Stoppers at (956) 581-TIPS (8477).

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Naxiely Lopez covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4434.