On January 10, 2024, at approximately 10:28 p.m., deputies from the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a shooting in the 5600 block of Wakita Drive in rural Edinburg, Texas. Upon arrival, they discovered 23-year-old Michael Daniel Arevalo unresponsive, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite paramedics' efforts, Arevalo was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses reported seeing two men dressed in dark clothing and hoodies walking along the street before opening fire on Arevalo. Investigators identified one of the suspects as 22-year-old Mario Cordero Jr. Cordero was arrested on January 17, 2024, near the 700 block of East Iowa Road in Edinburg and charged with murder. His bond was set at $2 million.
Further investigation revealed that prior to the shooting, Arevalo had been involved in a social media dispute with an individual named Abel "AJ" Sanchez Jr., who was incarcerated at the time. Sanchez had provided Cordero access to his Facebook account to communicate on his behalf. Authorities discovered that Cordero used this account to boast about the shooting in a private group chat.
Additionally, investigators identified a second person of interest, 24-year-old Efrain "Keefer" Tenopala, affiliated with the Sureno 13 Street Gang. As of January 18, 2024, Tenopala remained at large, and authorities sought the public's assistance in locating him.
The investigation into Arevalo's death is ongoing, with law enforcement urging anyone with information to contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers to aid in bringing all responsible parties to justice.
