Texas Border Business
Laredo, Texas – City of Laredo Council Member for District 4, Alberto Torres, Jr., led a special ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony in honor of Estela Quintanilla, whose name is now displayed on the Crime Prevention Center, located at 320 E. Ryan St. Before a large audience including Mrs. Quintanilla’s family, friends, co-workers, and many Laredoans whom were close to her throughout her life, Council Member Torres described how special her friendship and mentorship were for the community, youth of Laredo, and himself. Representatives from law enforcement agencies, members of the Laredo Independent School District, Zapata County, Webb County, and City of Laredo leaders gathered to witness and honor Estela Quintanilla during this heartwarming occasion.
“Mrs. Quintanilla taught us a lot and she taught many of her students the importance of finishing high school and pursuing a higher education. She did it through the diligent promotion of scholarships, by providing and assisting many students on a one-on-one at her alma mater, Martin High School,” said Torres, “Mrs. Quintanilla always advocated for the betterment of the community, the safety of our public schools, ensuring that students could go and learn in a safe environment.”
Mrs. Quintanilla implemented the Campus Crime Stoppers Program and served the Laredo Independent School District for 40 years. Throughout her career, she helped create many other programs and was recognized by several dignitaries for her commitment and honorable actions.
The Laredo Crime Stoppers will now be centralized and will continue to serve the Laredo community, along with media, and the area law enforcement agencies to control and solve crimes. This building is dedicated in her memory to honor all of the valuable contributions she made to the City of Laredo, the County of Webb, and the State of Texas. Her leadership and advocacy for fighting crime and the expansion of public resources for those in need will never be forgotten.
Maria Estela Quintanilla
Born and raised in Laredo, Maria Estela Quintanilla graduated from Raymond and Tirza Martin High School with high honors in 1964. She attended the University of Texas where she double majored in English and Spanish and later obtained her master’s degree from Texas A&I Kingsville. After college, Quintanilla returned to her hometown where she began her career as an English teacher at her alma mater. She ultimately served the Laredo Independent School district for 40 years.
In 1994, she implemented the Campus Crime Stoppers Program with a mission to combat crime and juvenile delinquency. This program became nationally recognized and served as a model for schools worldwide. She also launched:
- Teens in the Driver Seat Program at the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts
- LULAC Council #14
- The first-ever Youth LULAC Council in Laredo at Martin High School
Quintanilla was appointed to the Juvenile Justice Federal Advisory Committee by former Texas Governor, Rick Perry, due to her commitment to organizations such as Texas Crime Stoppers Teaching and Technical Assistance Work Group. Quintanilla earned many prestigious recognitions and awards.
She was recognized as:
- A distinguished alumnus of the University of Texas
- Tiger’s Legend’s Mentor
- Laredo Commission for Women Hall of Fame Inductee
- LULAC Tejano Achiever
In 2016, the Honorable Alberto Torres Jr. appointed Quintanilla to the Laredo/Webb Drug and Alcohol Commission where she served as the Chairperson of the Commission. She worked alongside city and county officials for the creation of a detox center, with a vision to create a village-building center with medical and counseling resources to benefit the community.
Estela Quintanilla passed away at the age of 73 on December 23, 2020.
Laredo Crime Stoppers
Laredo Crime Stoppers, Inc. was formed as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization in 1981, for the specific and primary purpose to obtain information about crimes, wanted persons and criminal activities; to help develop a community offensive against crime; to motivate members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies; and to provide for rewards and award such cooperation.
It is made up of a volunteer board of directors that involves citizens, media, and area law enforcement agencies in an effective crime control program which provides resources necessary for concerned citizens to solve crimes which make them eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.00.
