On May 3, 2024, 35-year-old Jose Luis Mejia-Sorto was fatally shot outside Cantina Guerrero, a bar located at 5611 S. US Hwy. 183 Northbound in southeast Austin, Texas. The incident occurred around 12:24 a.m., when deputies responding to a 911 call found Mejia-Sorto lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel at 12:39 a.m.
Witnesses reported that the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Cesar Alejandro Marquez, had a verbal altercation with Mejia-Sorto and his girlfriend inside the bar. Marquez is the ex-boyfriend of Mejia-Sorto's girlfriend. After the confrontation, Marquez allegedly followed Mejia-Sorto outside to his truck, where he was heard saying, "Go f*** yourself," before shooting Mejia-Sorto twice, causing him to fall to the ground. Marquez then reportedly stood over the victim and fired several more shots before fleeing the scene in a white pickup truck.
Surveillance footage from the bar shows Marquez arriving around 10:57 p.m. and interacting with his ex-girlfriend, who had been his partner for three years. The video also captured the moments leading up to the shooting. An autopsy revealed that Mejia-Sorto sustained gunshot wounds to his head, face, torso, and leg, with seven projectiles recovered from his body, including four from his head. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds, classifying it as a homicide.
Marquez, who has a prior criminal history, was positively identified by witnesses and his roommate. He is believed to be driving a white 2023 truck with a toolbox and bed cover. As of the latest available information, Marquez's whereabouts remain unknown, and he is wanted on charges of first-degree murder. Authorities are actively seeking information regarding his location and have urged anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to contact law enforcement immediately.
