On December 10, 2025, law enforcement officials in Lea County, New Mexico, responded to a distressing call that led to the discovery of a violent crime scene at the Merryman RV Park in the town of Jal. Alvaro Garza Garcia, a 20-year-old Hispanic male from Del Rio, Texas, was found deceased at the location alongside another victim. The incident, which disrupted the quiet early morning hours, prompted a significant investigation by the Lea County Sheriff’s Office and the Jal Police Department
after deputies were dispatched around 5:56 a.m. regarding reports of unresponsive individuals.
Upon arrival, emergency responders located Alvaro Garza Garcia and 22-year-old Andrea Rodriguez, also of Del Rio, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene. In close proximity to the victims, authorities discovered a third individual, identified as 27-year-old Juan Morales of El Paso, Texas. Morales was found suffering from what investigators determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound but was still alive when first responders arrived. He was urgently transported to a hospital in Kermit, Texas, for medical treatment.
The investigation quickly established that the shooting was an isolated occurrence, with evidence pointing toward a murder-suicide. Juan Morales was identified as the sole suspect responsible for the deaths of Garza and Rodriguez. Despite medical efforts to save him, Morales succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day. Because the suspect died shortly after the commission of the crime, no arrests were made, and no criminal trial will take place.
Following the conclusion of the on-scene investigation, the bodies were released to their families. Alvaro Garza Garcia was remembered by his parents, Carpoforo Garza Gaona and Dolores Garcia de Garza, as well as his siblings and extended family. Funeral services were arranged to take place across the border in Zaragosa, Coahuila, Mexico, with a visitation scheduled for December 19 followed by a funeral mass the next day at the San Fernando de Rosas Catholic Church. The Lea County Sheriff's Office subsequently closed the case, confirming there was no ongoing threat to the community.
