Southwest
Texas grand jury indicts man who allegedly murdered mother of 9
A Webb County, Texas grand jury has indicted a man nearly a decade after he allegedly attempted to sexually assault the mother of nine children and killed her as she was walking home from work.
Using advanced forensic methods, investigators with the Texas Rangers and Laredo Police Department identified 42-year-old Sergio Mendez as the culprit who allegedly killed 33-year-old Janette Escamilla Jaramillo of Laredo, Texas, in 2016.
The Texas Rangers said in a press release that on May 18, 2016, Jaramillo left work to go home at about midnight, though she never made it to her destination.
Jaramillo’s body was discovered under a skate ramp just after daybreak at Seven Flags Park, by employees of the Laredo Parks and Recreation Department.
DNA LINKS CALIFORNIA MAN TO 1979 COLD CASE MURDER, YEARS AFTER PASSING LIE DETECTOR
Sergio Mendez was indicted earlier this month for allegedly murdering Janette Escamilla Jaramillo on May 18, 2016. (Texas Rangers)
Seven Flags Park is located just blocks from where Jaramillo lived, according to law enforcement officials.
Investigators learned that the victim had been brutally strangled after an attempted sexual assault.
During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video footage showing Jaramillo walking with an unidentified person about 30 minutes after she was seen leaving her job.
DNA SAMPLE TIES ELDERLY MAN TO 40-YEAR-OLD COLD CASE MURDER OF TEXAS WOMAN
Sergio Mendez was indicted earlier this month for allegedly murdering Janette Escamilla Jaramillo on May 18, 2016. (Texas Rangers)
Police described the suspect as tall with short, cropped hair and wearing a trash bag, though that was likely because it was raining that night.
At the time, though, there was not enough evidence to arrest a suspect in Jaramillo’s case.
But in 2021, investigators were able to obtain funding from the Department of Justice (DOJ) after the case was identified as being eligible for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program.
WOMAN’S ACCUSED KILLER ARRESTED DECADES AFTER HE REPORTED HER MISSING, ABANDONED CAR FOUND AT AIRPORT
Pipette placing sample into vial for extracting DNA evidence in forensic lab. (Andrew Brookes via Getty Images)
The funding allows agencies across the U.S. to further investigate unsolved sexual assaults and sexually-related homicides.
Investigators used the funds to conduct advanced DNA testing, which ultimately identified Mendez as a suspect.
On March 12, a grand jury indicted Mendez. He is currently in custody and serving a 10-year prison sentence in Edinburg, Texas, for an unrelated crime.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
Los Angeles, Ca
NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
Los Angeles, Ca
'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana
The victim in a bizarre and deadly stabbing in Tarzana has been identified as 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for a recent role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” The stabbing happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a […]
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