Friday's Internet Edition, September 10, 2010.
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Luis Garza Jr. has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Megan Maldonado, who was 18 years old at that time.
She is a 2006 graduate of H.M. King High School.
Rachel Carrales, who is Maldonado’s grandmother, said she has contacted both the Kingsville Police Department and the DA’s office to learn the status of the case.
Detective Sandra Ochoa has been the investigator in this case.
“Det. Ochoa told me it took 8 months to get the ballistics report and what has happened these last six months?” Carrales questioned.
“What has been the progression concerning this case?”
Carrales said she contacted the investigator Sept. 6, and the investigator told her she was taking the case to the district attorney’s office the next day.
Ochoa took the case in the afternoon the next day and met with the new DA John Hubert, who reviewed the case with Ochoa and said more information was needed.
“I requested further investigation in specific areas,” Hubert said Friday.
He said many cases are backlogged because of the understaffing at the office.
Sworn in office Sept. 1, Hubert said he is taking older cases and moving them as fast as possible. He is prioritizing older cases that involve violence to victims.
“One of my top priorities is to reduce time from incident to arrest,” Hubert said.
Kingsville Police Chief Rick Torres confirmed the case had been taken to the DA’s office and more investigation was requested. He said this happens often referring to the DA’s requested for additional investigation.
“He (Hubert) wanted additional affidavits and medical reports from one of the other victims that was in the vehicles,” Torres said Friday.
Torres also explained that apparently there was more evidence that came after the ballistic reports. He said the five crime labs were overflowing with work and the labs were doing the best they can.
Carrales still wants the case to move forward. “How much longer is it going to take for the investigator to get everything in order and have the case re-submitted to the DA’s office?” she stated.
She said her granddaughter spent weeks in the hospital and has suffered both physically and psychologically from the shooting.
The shooting incident occurred after 1 a.m. July 9 when Megan and four other passengers were riding in a 1995 black Nissan Maxima in the area of Oklahoma Street. There were three males and two females, ages 18 to 20 in the vehicle. The passengers had been involved in egging activities. The passengers saw a white Chevy Silverado that began chasing them. The passengers heard a gunshot and stated in the police report they were shot from across the highway frontage road. Megan was a passenger in the back seat when the bullet penetrated through her torso bouncing off in the front of the car. She was immediately taken to the emergency room at the local hospital where she underwent surgeries.
Garza, who was 36 years old at that time, turned himself in July 11, 2006 and was jailed in the Kleberg County Jail. He was released the day when he posted bond on a $50,000 cash surety bond.