On August 24, 2024, 33-year-old Nilzuly Enrique Arneaud Petit was found deceased in Farmers Branch, Texas, with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Earlier that night, around 12:30 a.m., Petit and two juveniles were forcibly abducted from an apartment complex on Fair Oaks Crossing in Dallas by several suspects. The assailants transported the victims to the 1100 block of Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch, where Petit was executed.
The two juveniles were later found unharmed, walking along an Interstate 35 service road in Lewisville.
Investigations revealed that Petit was allegedly involved in a sophisticated ATM theft operation targeting multiple locations nationwide. Tensions arose when Petit was accused of withholding stolen funds from other members of the group, leading to his abduction and subsequent murder. Authorities identified the suspects as members of the Venezuelan street gang known as Tren de Aragua, a group notorious for its violent activities.
In the following months, law enforcement agencies apprehended three individuals in connection with Petit's death. Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza, 38, was arrested in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolivar, 25, and Jhonata Nahin Toro Gonzalez, 22, were detained in Aurora, Colorado. All three suspects have been charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. A fourth suspect, 29-year-old Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano, remains at large. The arrested individuals are pending extradition to Texas for prosecution.
The involvement of Tren de Aragua in this crime underscores the gang's expanding influence and the challenges faced by law enforcement in combating transnational criminal organizations. Authorities continue to investigate the case and are actively seeking information regarding the whereabouts of the remaining suspect to ensure all responsible parties are brought to justice.
