On the morning of December 10, 2025, a tragic sequence of events unfolded at the Merryman RV Park in Jal, New Mexico, shattering the quiet of the early dawn. Law enforcement officers from the Jal Police Department and deputies from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene along New Mexico Highway 18 shortly before 6:00 a.m. following distressing reports of unresponsive individuals.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered a grim tableau involving three individuals who had sustained gunshot wounds. Among the deceased was 22-year-old Hispanic female Andrea Rodriguez, a resident of Del Rio who had been staying in the area.
Investigators quickly secured the scene, identifying a second victim, 20-year-old Álvaro Garza García, who was also pronounced dead at the location. A third individual, identified as 27-year-old Juan Morales of El Paso, was found alive but suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel rushed Morales to a hospital in nearby Kermit, Texas, in a desperate bid to save his life, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The Lea County Sheriff’s Office subsequently took the lead on the investigation, treating the incident as an apparent murder-suicide.
Preliminary findings released by authorities indicated that Morales was the primary suspect in the shootings of both Rodriguez and Garza García. Detectives worked to piece together a timeline of the violence, though they stated that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident with no broader threat to the public. The investigation remained active in the days following the discovery as officials processed evidence and sought to understand the relationship between the three individuals and the motive behind the fatal encounter.
Andrea Rodriguez was remembered by her community as a free spirit with a fiercely independent nature. Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, she was a 2023 graduate of Del Rio High School and had been building a career with Jones Contractors at the time of her death. Her obituary highlighted her dedication to her goals and her love for her family, including her mother, stepfather, and four brothers. Following the completion of the investigation's initial phase, her family arranged for funeral services to be held in Alamogordo, bringing a somber close to the heartbreaking events that transpired in Jal.
