High bonds set for men accused of killing San Benito police officer

Oct. 19—Only have a minute? Listen instead

BROWNSVILLE — A judge Wednesday charged two men with capital murder in the shooting death of a San Benito police officer, ordering them held on bonds as high as $2 million.

Magistrate Judge Leonardo Rincones charged Rogelio Martinez, 18, of Brownsville, with capital murder of a peace officer, setting bond at $1 million, in the shooting death of Lt. Milton Resendez, 54, while also charging him with aggravated assault against a public servant, for which he set bond at $500,000.

Meanwhile, Rincones charged Rodrigo Axel Espinosa Valdez, 23, a Mexican national, with capital murder of a peace officer, setting bond at $1.5 million, while also charging him with evading arrest, for which he set bond at $500,000.

The charge of capital murder of a peace officer carries two sentencing options if prosecutors obtain a conviction: life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

In the hearing, Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz requested Rincones seal an affidavit filed against Espinoza.

But attorney Ed Stapleton, representing Espinoza, objected, arguing his client played a minor role in the alleged crimes.

In response, Rincones overruled Saenz's request.

During the arraignment, attorney Ed Cyganiewicz was representing Martinez.

After the hearing, Spokeswoman Marlane Reyna said the district attorney had not commented as to whether he would seek the death penalty.

At about 10:58 p.m. Tuesday in San Benito, near Business 77 and Sam Houston Boulevard, one of the defendants fired into Resendez's truck, with one round piercing its door, entering the officer's body from beneath his bulletproof vest, San Benito Police Chief Mario Perea told reporters Wednesday during a news conference.

Resendez was pronounced dead at Valley Baptist Medical Center.

The shooting occurred as authorities pursued the defendants from late Tuesday afternoon to about midnight.

At about 4:30 p.m., a Cameron County park ranger pulled over a red GMC truck for speeding on a South Padre Island beach, identifying the two men riding along with two women and two small children, Saenz told reporters during Wednesday's news conference.

Suddenly, the truck drove away before the men dropped off the women and children, whom authorities detained for questioning, officials said.

In Port Isabel, a Cameron County constable spotted the fleeing truck before state troopers joined the pursuit heading toward Brownsville, where the suspects exchanged gunfire with officers, Saenz said.

Authorities stopped shooting amid concern of striking residents, and lost track of the suspects, he said.

While searching for the suspects in Brownsville, authorities spotted the two men riding in a black Ford Expedition at about 10:30 p.m. before state troopers pursued the truck, Saenz said.

At about 10:58 p.m., near Business 77 and Sam Houston Boulevard in San Benito, Resendez spotted the truck before one of the suspects fired two rounds into his vehicle, Perea told reporters. One round struck the truck's door, the bullet entering Resendez's body from beneath his bulletproof vest, Perea said.

From San Benito, authorities pursued the truck to Brownsville, where troopers arrested the suspects, Saenz said.

During the news conference, officials declined to disclose the weapon used to kill Resendez.

The Texas Rangers are investigating the case.

Resendez is the first San Benito police officer to die in the line of duty.

In the Rio Grande Valley, he became the fifth officer killed on duty since 2019.

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