Texas
Texas charges first fentanyl-related murder under new state law
Mother speaks on pain of losing a young son to fentanyl poisoning
A mother from El Paso copes with the grief of losing a son to fentanyl poisoning after he is found dead in a hotel room.
Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times
Eric Robles is officially the first ever individual indicted under stricter Texas state charges of murder and manufacture/delivery of fentanyl.
Texas House Bill 6, passed in 2023 in response to the rising number of fentanyl-related fatalities across the state, classifies the act of supplying fentanyl resulting in death as murder.
On April 23, 2025, approximately two weeks before completing his sentence on unrelated federal drug charges, Robles was transferred from the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to the custody of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
“The ability to bring the state charge of murder gives the DEA another tool in our belt,” said OmarArellano, special agent in charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “Drug dealers even considering setting up shop in Texas need to keep that in mind.”
The first charge of its kind in Texas
The case was the first time the 34th Judicial District Attorney’s office charged murder as it relates to the distribution of fentanyl resulting in a death.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Fentanyl Overdose Response Team, or FORT, a West Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative, investigated the case. FORT is staffed by DEA, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Department of Army Criminal Investigations Division, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas National Guard, and the El Paso Police Department.
“The indictment handed down in this case marks a historic and necessary step forward in the fight against the fentanyl epidemic that continues to devastate our community and families across Texas,” said El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte. “The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be part of the DEA’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team and to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners to ensure drug traffickers are held fully accountable.Although this is the first FORT case indicted on Texas state charges, the DEA’s El Paso Division has had a total of 10 federally charged cases which resulted in the sentencing of 10 individuals for distribution causing death.
“We will not tolerate the distribution of fentanyl in our community—and we will continue using every legal tool available to bring justice for victims and their families. Our message is clear: if your actions result in death, you will be charged accordingly,” Ugarte said.
The 10 individuals received a combined 152 years in federal prison without parole.
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The Aledo community is mourning the loss of 14-year-old Brayden Martin after school officials confirmed the 8th grader was killed in an ATV crash Wednesday night, just hours before he was supposed to graduate middle school.
Aledo Independent School District confirmed Martin’s death to CBS News Texas. An Aledo ISD trustee and Martin’s select baseball team also said the crash involved an ATV.
In a statement to families, the district said extra support staff were on campus Thursday for students and teachers grieving the loss.
“We had extra support at Aledo Middle School this morning for our students and staff,” the district wrote in part. “We have asked our entire community to pray for Brayden’s family, friends and teachers.”
Martin’s death has sent shockwaves through the close-knit North Texas community, where friends, classmates and teammates have shared tributes online.
His select baseball team, the Wildcatters NTX 14U Place, posted a heartfelt message honoring their teammate.
“Brayden was more than a teammate — he was family,” the team wrote. “His love for the game, his smile, and the impact he made on everyone around him will never be forgotten.”
The post continued: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Martin family, his teammates, coaches, and all who knew and loved him during this unimaginable time. Forever a Wildcatter. Forever #10.”
Shane Davis also shared condolences online as memories and prayers poured in across social media.
Another Aledo family says they understand the unimaginable grief the Martins are now facing.
Glen Bates lost his 11-year-old son, Noah, in a UTV crash four years ago while riding on a ranch with friends. Bates told CBS News Texas that the pain of losing a child never goes away.
“You know, when you lose a child, you enter into a club that no parent ever wants to be a part of,” Glen Bates said. “And, it’s a lifelong journey.”
Glen Bates said his son was thrown from the vehicle after the boys lost control. He was killed instantly.
After Noah Bates’ death, the Bates family created the Noah Bates Memorial Foundation, focused on ATV and UTV safety education and training.
Federal safety data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows children under 16 make up a significant number of ATV-related deaths and injuries nationwide. A majority of those deaths are boys.
“These accidents are preventable,” Glen Bates said. “It just takes engagement. It takes conversation.”
Martin’s family has asked for privacy as the community continues to rally around them.
Texas
Scattered storms, flooding risk, cooler temperatures in store for North Texas into Memorial Day week
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