Staff Report

Edinburg, TX - Hidalgo County officials are warning residents about a rise in social media scams involving motor vehicle title transfers and registration renewals.

According to county officials, consumers have reported attempting to process vehicle title transactions or registration renewals through individuals advertising services on social media platforms, including Facebook Marketplace. In several cases, victims said they provided personal information by text message and were instructed to pay fees that were later found to be fraudulent.

Scam details

Officials said scammers typically provide a phone number through social media listings and request information by text. The individuals then send a code and direct consumers to pay excessive and phony fees at local retail stores.

Victims are later instructed to report to a county tax office and proceed to a specific service window where their paperwork is allegedly ready. Upon arrival, consumers discover that no transaction has been processed and no paperwork exists. The phone numbers used by the scammers then stop responding.

Official guidance

Hidalgo County Tax Assessor-Collector Pablo Villarreal Jr. cautioned residents to be alert.

“If it seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam,” Villarreal said. “Titles are required to be turned over to the County Tax Office before a transfer can be done. Businesses must be a Full Service Deputy, Limited Service Deputy, or licensed title service in order to process motor vehicle transactions in Hidalgo County.”

Reporting scams

Villarreal urged residents who encounter these scams to report them to local law enforcement agencies, including police departments, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Task Force, the Hidalgo County Tax Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

He also encouraged residents to mark suspicious social media listings as scams on Facebook and report them to consumer reporting agencies.

Source -- Hidalgo County.

Staff Report

McAllen, TX - McAllen police have arrested a suspect in a homicide case dating back to 2022, authorities announced this week.

Officers with the McAllen Police Department took Keith Vladimir Garcia into custody on Monday, Jan. 5, in connection with the stabbing death of George Chavez.

Details of the 2022 homicide

The homicide occurred in July 2022 in the 2200 block of Datepalm Avenue. Investigators previously determined that Chavez died after sustaining multiple stab wounds during an assault in the area.

Police said Garcia was identified as the suspect during the course of the investigation.

Arrest made in McAllen

According to police, Garcia was located in the 12500 block of North Rooth Road in McAllen. Investigators served an outstanding arrest warrant charging Garcia with murder.

Garcia remains in custody pending formal arraignment. The charge of murder is a first-degree felony, police said.

Investigation and public assistance

McAllen police encouraged anyone with additional information related to the case to come forward. Tips may be reported to McAllen Crime Stoppers at 956-687-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the “P3 Tips” smartphone application. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.

Source -- McAllen Police Department.

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Staff Report

McAllen, TX - McAllen police are searching for a man accused of helping a murder suspect evade arrest following a fatal shooting last month.

The McAllen Police Department announced that an arrest warrant has been issued for Leonel Perez Delgado in connection with the homicide investigation stemming from the Dec. 27, 2025, shooting death of 61-year-old Eddy Betancourt.

Ongoing homicide investigation

The shooting occurred in the 800 block of North Ware Road in McAllen. As part of the investigation, police obtained surveillance images showing homicide suspect Reynaldo Mata-Rios crossing through a U.S.-Mexico Port of Entry on Dec. 28, 2025, in a red truck.

Investigators identified the driver of that vehicle as Leonel Perez Delgado. Police allege that Delgado knowingly assisted Mata-Rios by transporting him out of the country to hinder his arrest.

Arrest warrant issued

According to investigators, a magistrate with the McAllen Municipal Court found probable cause to issue a warrant charging Delgado with Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution, a third-degree felony.

Police described Delgado as a 61-year-old Hispanic male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing about 225 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. His last known address is in Pharr.

Multi-agency effort continues

McAllen police said the investigation remains active and that they are working in coordination with local, state and federal agencies to locate and arrest those involved.

How to report information

Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the McAllen Police Department at 956-681-2000. Anonymous tips may be submitted through McAllen Crime Stoppers at 956-687-TIPS (8477) or through the “P3 Tips” smartphone application. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.

Source -- McAllen Police Department.