Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – A Hidalgo County jury found William Garcia, 33, of Mission, Texas, guilty of Capital Murder and Murder on December 11, 2024, for the shooting death of a 6-year-old girl.
On February 23, 2021, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a shooting. The investigation revealed that a 6-year-old girl was killed in the shooting and the charge was reclassified to capital murder. Her identity is being withheld because she was a minor.
Marco Chairez, Daniel Flores, William Garcia, and Juan Ramon Garcia Olaguez were subsequently arrested and charged in connection with the death of the child.
On April 4, 2023, after a jury had been selected, Marco Chairez entered a plea of guilty to the offense of murder and was sentenced to 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. On December 3, 2024, a jury was selected in the case against William Garcia. Evidence consisted of testimony presented from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office; the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory; BODE Technology Laboratory; and several witnesses throughout the trial. Codefendant Juan Roman Olaguez provided testimony against William Garcia, as well. On December 11, William Garcia was found guilty of Capital Murder and Murder.
Garcia was sentenced by the court to an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole on the charge of capital murder and 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on the charge of murder. Juan Roman Olaguez was sentenced by the court to 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The case was heard by Noe Gonzalez in the 370th District Court of Hidalgo County.
Daniel Flores is currently set for trial on February 10, 2025.
“Although the jury’s verdict does not bring back the loss of innocent life, it does bring justice to the suffering family and our community,” said Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios.
Chief Assistant Criminal District of Major Crimes Hope Palacios and Assistant District Attorney Laura Rodriguez prosecuted each of the cases.
