OUR 2013 STORY IN THE IRENE GARZA MURDER CASE

Monday, June 3, 2013

Hidalgo County District Attorney Rene Guerra Blocks Justice in 1960 Murder Case

District Attorney Rene Guerra

With Cameron County's outgoing District Attorney Armando Villalobos convicted on 7 of 9 criminal counts, his Hidalgo County counterpart Rene Guerra is having his integrity questioned from a very different angle.  The arrogant Guerra is blocking, stifling, carefully controlling the pursuit of justice, despite numerous breaking events in the 1960 McAllen murder of Irene Garza.

The story, of course, is not new, but has been firmed up over 53 years with new revelations, admissions, independent corroboration  of statements, etc.  The latest expose' by Anderson Cooper, The Beauty and the Priest, aired three times in the last 24 hours, brings many of the details already out there in The Best Crime Writing of 2006.  One research article lists several Brownsville Herald stories by Emma Perez-Trevino in its bibliography.

The story, related as succinctly as I'm able:

Irene Garza, a 25 year old former Miss South Texas and school teacher did not return from her weekly visit to the Sacred Heart Church in McAllen.  The last person to see her alive, the 27 year old Reverend John B. Feit, chose to  hear her confession in the rectory. While Garza's car remained in the church parking lot, her body was found four days after Easter just three miles away in an irrigation canal with a slide viewer belonging to the young priest and a candelabra from the church nearby.  Police theorized at the time that the two heavy objects had been used in an attempt to keep Garza's body at the bottom with the cord of the slide viewer around her neck.

Father John B. Feit in 1960

24 days before the Garza murder, Reverend Feit had been arrested, charged with the attempted rape of another young woman, Maria America Guerra, in an Edinburg church where Feit was "helping out."  Ms. Guerra had noticed a man with horned rim glasses stalking her as she washed up in an outside bathroom at her home.  Later, at the church, Feit, wearing horn rims, attacked her, only turning her loose when she bit his finger, drawing blood.  Feit eventually plead no lo contendre to aggravated assault, paying a $500 fine.

Several suspects to the murder submitted to lie detector tests including Feit.  All, except Feit, passed.  Of course such tests are not admissible evidence.   Fifty years later, McAllen police, the Texas Rangers and other enforcement agencies believe Feit is the murderer.

So did Father Joseph O'Brien, the McAllen parish priest at the time of the murder.  He admitted years later that he knew Feit murdered Irene Garza, but he was instructed to transfer Feit to the New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque, Iowa, where Feit attempted to attack a woman getting out of her car.  Feit was transferred again to the Our Lady of Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri.  There a monk named Dale Tacheny, but known as "Father Emmanuel,"  was told to take charge of the former McAllen priest:  "The abbot called me in and said, 'There is a priest who murdered a woman in the guest house.  He wants to become a monk.  We are instructed to take him in.' "

When the Texas Rangers attempted to reopen the case in 2002, they ran into a stone wall in Hidalgo District Attorney Rene Guerra.  Guerra discounted the testimony of Father Joseph O'Brien, who he described as

Irene Garza

"senile."  Guerra also brassily declared that the statements made by former monk Dale Tacheny(Father Emmanuel) had been "fed" him by Texas Ranger Rudy Jaramillo.(George Sadler, San Antonio homicide detective states that Tacheny gave him the same information months before he told Jaramillo.)

District Attorney Rene Guerra finally gave in to pressure from the public and the family of Irene Garza to seek justice in the case, but he had a devilish, fuck-you ace up his sleeve.  A grand jury was called in 2004 and convened for 15 days.  Waiting to testify were Father Joseph O'Brien, former monk Dale Tacheny, Texas Ranger Rudy Jaramillo and others.  But the only witness called by the reluctant District Attorney was a lady who testified for the defense in Feit's earlier trial years ago.

Who knows what Guerra is thinking or what motivates him?  Is he protecting the Church, Feit or some sort of coverup?  He claims that, after 30 years in office, he is not seeking re-election.  If he backs off of that promise, hopefully the voters of Hidalgo County will put him out to pasture for fumbling the biggest criminal case in McAllen, Hidalgo County history.

BOBBY WIGHTMAN-CERVANTES CONSIDERING RUN FOR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

Bobby Wightman-Cervantes

Adding some intrigue to what's been a somewhat dull political season is the hint by Bobby Wightman-Cervantes, in his blog, the Brownsville Voice, that he's considering a run for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 3, a position currently occupied by Mary Ester Sorola.

"I'm not announcing for JP 2-3, but I want to," states Wightman in a subheading in his blog.

"So far I have a commitment of $500 towards the filing fee. I have accepted no money. I am merely in the feeling out the prospect of running," continues the blogger.

According to the Dallas Observer, Mr. Wightman ran for Dallas County District Judge in 1998 and then again for the U.S. Senate in 2000, both times as a Republican.

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, CHRIS VALADEZ? A NATION TURNS ITS LONELY EYES TO YOU

Chris Valadez, 2nd from right, meeting with
Brownsville's bloggers in Carlos Cascos Office
in 2012

Please, don't call it an intervention, but longtime right hand man of Carlos Cascos, Chris Valadez, is in a position to help.

Captain Bob, AKA Robert Sanchez, a Brownsville restaurateur and intermittent political candidate, is being played by an out-of-town troll blogger with no goodness in his heart.

Robert Sanchez

This is a vulnerable time for Mr. Sanchez; recently losing his wife, custody issues with his children, his home on Calle Jacaranda up for sale and now the departure of his all-consuming love interest.

Sanchez has repeatedly identified Chris Valadez as a friend, and those who know Chris, view him as, not only clever, but real, empathetic and loyal.  Robert has an asset in his corner.

Out-of-town blogger

The last thing Robert needs, at this point in his life, is to be played, mocked, used by a heartless, cold, attack drifter who blogs from coffee shops with free wifi with articles denigrating Brownsville.(The blogger was terminated years ago by the Brownsville Herald, but chooses to spew venom on the city from wherever his cheap laptop can connect.)

Chris knows this guy manipulating Robert and can reach out to his friend and spare him further humiliation.  

Just today, the trolling blogger announced a seemingly charitable program to award local bloggers with a holiday ham:

"To soothe hard feelings and end the year on a good note, The Republic and Capt. Bob, author of our Paragraphs Man feature, will be offering free honey-glazed hams to any blogger who signs up to receive one between today and Christmas Eve. Interested bloggers will be required to submit a request for one (1) ham via our “Comments Feature” using a legitimate email address. Bloggers will have to include their telephone numbers for verification of their entry.

The Republic and Capt. Bob will review the applicants and their three (3) reasons for requesting a free ham before a final ruling on the recipients is made. If no applicant passes muster, no hams wills be awarded.

It is our desire that all city bloggers enjoy the Holiday Season and that they have a good meal at year’s end.

Eligible for the free ham giveaway are the following Bloggers, in no particular order, and certainly not order of need. The Republic and Capt. Bob have a benevolent streak, as our readers discovered during the recent hurricane disasters, and this simply falls into that category."

There is no need to explain why self-respecting bloggers, writers, brick layers or security guards would ignore such a condescending offer.  

Robert Sanchez gives to charity.  The trolling blogger has a history of stealing tips.

Chris, can you help your friend?

ARTURO RODRIGUEZ: IS HE WORTH A $220,000 SALARY AS CITY MANAGER?

Arturo Rodriguez

RAMIRO GONZALEZ, THE JARED KUSHNER OF CITY ADMINISTRATION

Ramiro Gonzalez, City Planner, Planning Director, Downtown
Revitalization Coordinator, Assistant to the Assistant City Manager, Government Affairs Liaison, Future City Manager?
(Caricature by Nena)

TONY MARTINEZ BUYS RESTAURANT, REMODELS IT WITHOUT PERMITS

Tony Martinez, Mayor, Restaurateur

Ethics, ethics, ethics.

Mayor Tony Martinez, who pontificated about creating an ethics code for the City of Brownsville during his first mayoral campaign, has zero ethics.

Using his law partner to "negotiate" the purchase of La Casa del Nylon for triple its value, $2,300,000, likely splitting the commission, allowing Abraham Galonsky to sit in on the executive session involving transfer of property, personally spending the $3,060,000 AEP Texas refund on pet projects, until stopped by the city commission, etc., all clear no-brainer violations of Ethics 101.

Tony Martinez is unethical, dishonest as hell!

This year, Martinez bought major interest in a Brownsville restaurant, remodeling it, actually adding a totally new building as "the restaurant," and doing so, WITHOUT PERMITS.

As local builders tell us; construction is relatively easy in Brownsville.  Wages are low.  Hiring undocumented workers lowers that cost.  Locally, construction skill sets are high.  

The most difficult aspect of local construction is getting the permits, especially during the long tenure of Evaristo "Mordida" Gamez, Jr. as Permitting Director for the City of Brownsville.

In September, Brownsville Herald reporter Steve Clark interviewed Abe Avila about a recent remodel of the 1848 BBQ, located just off Palm Blvd. at 5 Avalon Drive. 

Avila described the extensive renovations.  Formerly, the pitmaster grilled from a small H&R Block office, sending his dining customers to a screened in porch area, safe from flies, but without air conditioning.

But now; "Shazam!" as Gomer Pyle used to say, the 1848 BBQ had a totally new restaurant in front of the old H&R Block office and the screened eating area.

A local customer explained:  "Tony Martinez bought the restaurant and remodeled it.  I think, he did it without permits.  At least, I never saw one and I eat there weekly."

The restaurant sits directly across the street from Spanky's Burgers, Lola's Bakery and Bistro and Bates Cleaners, all owned by Tony Martinez.

So, I checked the property records and "sho nuff."  Tony now owns 1848 BBQ as well.  Or, at least, "Saenz Sandra and Martinez Antonio" do.

My Public Information Request to City Secretary Griselda Rosas revealed that the only permit pulled for the building during 2017 was for the two roof top AC units, not the building itself.  

Rooftop AC Units, Actually Permitted 

That permit was paid for by AC contractor Cesar Barrera DBA Barrera Air Conditioning.

Don't you wish you could totally remodel your home or business without permits?  

You can't!  

You're not Tony Martinez!

MONTOYA AND BROWNSVILLE PUSHING BACK AGAINST TROLLING, OUT-OF-TOWN BLOGGER

Trolling Blogger

Much like dung around the cow barn or that pesky fly falling into your tea cup, the troll blogger sullies its environment with unsanitary, unhealthy shit.

Popular local blogger Juan Montoya refers to one such nasty pest in yesterday's El Rrun Rrun as a "blogger from McAllen," but also as an "out-of town blogger," additionally a purveyor of "fake news."  Juan does not actually name the nasty pest or give his current pseudonym, we suspect, so as not to promote filth.

Tony Chapa

Half a dozen years ago, in an effort to gain traction in the Harlingen blogosphere, the troll's articles spewed withering criticism of Tony Chapa, editor of My Harlingen News, referring to him as Tony "The Turd" Chapa and Jerry Deal of My Leader News, whom he characterized as "excitable."  His blog articles were reinforced by fake comments agreeing with his fake stories.

In 2014-15, the troll was back online with yet another blog, attacking two Brownsville blogs, Mean Mister Brownsville(this blog's former name) and the Brownsville Voice by Bobby Wightman-Cervantes. His attacks reached a crescendo in April 2015 with six or seven straight articles attacking me, my wife, Nena, and son, Diego. When I shared this information with Google, his blog was removed within the hour. The very next day, my blogger comment box was filled with three dozen obscene comments, primarily directed at my wife Nena. This continued daily for one year.

Of course, bloggers do quarrel occasionally, but personal attacks are rare and the Brownsville blogosphere is generally welcoming and supportive.

We welcomed Sergio Cavazos a few years ago with a new blog and subsequently Juan Fidencio Trevino and his blog, Brownsville Bright.  Over the years, we've encouraged several solid citizens to state their views clearly in this forum without commentary from us.

But, we draw the line at inflammatory personal attacks, innuendo and juvenile "my writing is better than your writing" braggadocio.  

More recently the trolling blogger has discovered the Cameron County Appraisal District website, using the information gleaned like a pyromaniac who just discovered fire.

"Look who didn't pay their taxes!" he shouts, not a bad or even original shtick, but hollow-sounding from someone who likely doesn't pay property tax in ANY county in the U.S., much like draft-ducking Trump talking tough to the military.

Local blog readers have also pushed back against the McAllen troller, who routinely berates Brownsville and its bloggers.  Note this comment:

"To kill for. I remember reading his "gems" when he was working for the cosmopolitan Port Isabel Press until he got canned (as he usually was wherever he went) for not helping cart some of the press run from the San Benito News because he thought it was below hi station. Anyway, it was a charity hire on someone else's recommendation and he wasn't missed.

I commend you on giving the down-and-out a hand. Maybe he'll donate a few bucks to the Good Neighbor Settlement Home before he gets his free meal. Don't expect a tip."

Or, this comment:

"I don't know who's worse. This dude who's obsessed with Brownsville and is doing his best to trash it (like we need McAllen's help) for who knows what reason, or you, Barton, for yanking his chain again and dragging this delinquent tax-sniffing gumshoe out of his miserable motel room. 

This, of course, means you can't bitch about him jumping on you and Nena, or maybe he's still fucking with you and that's why you dragged him out in the open for an anonymous spanking. 

Something wrong with that old dude. All the shit that comes out of him is anger and hate. Maybe you got it right Barton, little Eddie Martinez, the butcher's stepson, is just an awkward, lonely boy who longs to join but nobody wants to play with him, certainly not in McAllen, otherwise he'd be doing all his writing about what a great place McAllen is and what great many friends and family he's got there. 

Nobody wants or needs this bitter, solitary drifter who sooner or later will fuck over Capt. Bob (2nd time?) just like he's done with a long line of people he initially charms with his "I'm a published writer" bullshit... 

Go away, DPM or whatever rap name you hide behind, go somewhere where they want you. 

Get Capt. Bob to throw you another Lonely Hearts Club party for two. 

We certainly don't have room for another nagging psycho joining the "Brownsville is a shit town" cheering squad. We got more than enough homegrown cagapalos who do that already. 

SAD LONELY BOY!! PONTE ALALBA CAPT BOB, ESTE GUEY TA MAS CHISKEAO QUE TU!!!"

Or, this comment from Juan's blog:

"This clown has nothing to offer but criticism. He is a blight on our community with his failed reporting skills. 

How he kisses up to captain Bob and his supermodel girlfriend is repulsive. 

The fact that Jerry McHale gives him air time is just sad. 

It's obvious that he can't work as a journalist because he doesn't have a job. As if he was retired. 

It has been well documented by Jerry that he can't keep a job as a reporter. Now your story is proof Beyond doubt. 

For some reason he is obsessed with Brownsville. Yet, he offers nothing. 

It's either to compete with you and his hero Bobby or he's being paid to spew out his hatred. 

It appears, that he believes he is some kind of Playboy. His pandering to border bitches and fake trips is nothing short of adolescent."

EDITOR'S NOTE:  We don't pretend to understand this troll blogger's need for an audience in the city he claims to despise, Brownsville or his obsessive drive for relevance here.  Perhaps, it has something to do with manner of his separation after a short stint with the Brownsville Herald years ago, rejection by a lover or other inadequacies.  

We don't really know or care.  We're not Dr. Phil.

Brownsville's Disappearing, Non-Performing Blog

"And when I die 

and when I'm dead, dead and gone, 

There'll be one child born and 

a world to carry on, to carry on"

Blood, Sweat and Tears

The little boy and grandmother above are inseparably linked in memory and values, if not in time. 

One will soon leave while the other carries on, the so-called circle of life.

The publisher of this irrelevant, unfocused, intermittent, out-of-touch blog, the Brownsville Observer, is primarily occupied with the twosome  pictured above, a crusty 74 year old army veteran and a precocious, homeschooled 7 year old.

Grandma, after several strokes, is angry, depressed, then angry again, brain-damaged and can't be left alone.

Grandson Jack sees past the anger and hugs his grandma, offers his hand to lift her from the car and respects her every word.

As Jack's homeschool teacher, I look for gaps in his education.  Only yesterday, Jack learned that enamored was similar to in love.  Jack does know that Grand Theft Auto 5 is based on Los Angeles, but just learned that L.A. is in California.

Someday  soon, I will tell Jack some of my experiences in L.A. in '63 at the 80 cent per night hotel on Figueroa Street, a structure condemned for the then-future Los Angeles Music Center.  I witnessed my first knifing there and when the night desk clerk challenged me to a wrestling match, remembered awakening to smelling salts and the laughter from a small crowd of observers.

At Hollywood and Vine, I tapped on the window of a Chinese restaurant.  They were closed, but welcomed me in, offering a huge bowl of leftover rice for ten cents.  They even brought me soy sauce when I asked for it.

This blog is not totally dead, having two pending Public Information Requests with City Secretary Griselda Rosas with future, potential stories about Mayor Tony Martinez and Brownsville Metro.

We've cleaned up and consumed all of my Thanksgiving cooking.  I used Nena's tried and true methods for turkey and stuffing, but "Say" McIntosh's sweet potato pie recipes.  

Some day, I will tell grandson Jack about Little Rock legend, black activist, "Say" McIntosh, not just about his pies or his art, but how he played the Democrats and the Republicans in Arkansas, and how he was Black Santa to the impoverished of East Little Rock on his own dime.

Nena has already told him about her father, his great-grandfather Manuel Perez from Ciudad Victoria, who literally swam across the river, joining the U.S. Army during WWII.  

I've told Jack about my own grandfather from East Flanders, Belgium, Adolph DeMan, an inventor, how he settled in Republic, Michigan, but then homesteaded in Maple Valley, Washington, near Seattle.

Jack can't control his DNA, but he can learn his ancestry.

GUITARIST AMANDA LEPRE OF ANDREW W.K. TO APPEAR AT THE KRAKEN LOUNGE SATURDAY

Amanda Lepre

Brownsville and Porter High School’s own Amanda Lepre, fresh off her appearance with Andrew W.K. at the Corona Capital Festival in Mexico City this past weekend, will be appearing at The Kraken Lounge this Saturday night in Brownsville, her hometown. 

This will be an extremely rare event, considering that performing with her two Austin bands and touring with Andrew W.K. doesn’t give her much time to perform in her hometown.

Amanda's set starts at 9:30 PM.  The Kraken Lounge is located at 1123 E. Adams Street, Brownsville.

Diego Lee Rot

The Brownsville Observer's music writer, Diego Lee Rot, will be likely show up to gauge the atmosphere and drink a beer or two. 

RIGO BOCANEGRA CAMPAIGN KICKOFF EVENT

OUR APRIL STORY ON EDDIE TREVINO, WEST RAIL PROVES PROPHETIC

Monday, April 3, 2017

Will County Judge Eddie Trevino Deliver on his Promise to Block the West Trail Road?

Diego, Felix, Jack with Doberman Boo in Lead

On a warm Spring Sunday, I followed my 45 year old son, Diego Lee Rot, grandsons Jack and Felix, down the former Union Pacific Railway easement, devoid of tracks. 

It was a sublime afternoon with little Felix frolicking on and off the old track space, Jack philosophizing and Diego parenting.  Mangy neighborhood dogs came out barking, but, when lead dog, Doberman Boo, wanted to meet them, they whimpered back home.

"Stop the Road!" signs are scattered throughout West Brownsville, based on opposition to turning the Union Pacific easement into a road, proposed to start at the B & M Bridge, connecting to I-69 close to the Hwy 77 Flea Market.  5,000 signed a petition to block that road, but no absolute assurance has ever come from the Texas Department of Transportation that it will not happen.

Then County Judge Carlos Cascos told me in 2011 that funds had been allocated for a West Rail toll road and that politicians rarely return monies already designated for projects.  The idiocy of a West Brownsville toll road concept is that no one is the area would pay to go to the flea market or connect to I-69 for money when they could already go free by traveling on existing roads. The claim that truck traffic would foot the bill was also not factual since the B & M Bridge is not certified as truck worthy.

Proponents of the West Rail Road have since shifted gears, now calling for a "promenade," similar to Palm Boulevard, acting as a grand entrance into downtown.

Diego Lee Rot and I measured the current easement of West Rail between property fences at 100 feet.  We measured Palm Boulevard's width at 58 feet.  That allows for a road similar to Palm Boulevard, leaving another 42 feet for a bike trail and landscaping.

Homes along the easement are dissimilar to homes along Palm Boulevard, however.  Would a tall, wooden fence be necessary to shield visitors from viewing the dilapidated houses

currently along the easement?  

Most of the country are not aware that housing like this, common in the third world, exists in the U.S. Brownsville, though, is not like the "rest of the U.S."  It is the seat of the poorest county in the entire U.S.; Cameron, Texas.

County Judge Eddie Trevino

Eddie Trevino, at several town meetings in 2016, promised West Brownsville residents he would not back any attempt to turn the former Union Pacific West Rail easement into anything but a landscaped bike trail.

Will Trevino deliver on his promise?

NEECE GUN CONTROL INCIDENT DETAILED BY KURV 710 NEWS TALK

Art by Diego Lee Rot

Special to the Brownsville Observer by KURV 710 NEWS TALK

Brownsville City Commissioner Ben Neece is confirming that a handgun used in two recent robberies in the city had been stolen in a burglary of his vehicle. Neece says early Monday morning, two suspects burglarized his vehicle which was parked in front of his home. He adds his surveillance cameras got footage of the suspects and he turned the video over to Brownsville police.

Police have issued arrest warrants for 19-year-old Edxion Gonzalez and 22-year-old Hector Zarate who are accused of committing two robberies with the stolen gun. Neece tells the Brownsville Herald he has a concealed handgun permit, and keeps a gun in his car and in his home for protection.

DIEGO LEE ROT DOES MATAMOROS

Grandson Jack and Diego Lee Rot in January

Last January, Diego Lee Rot and grandson Jack went to the mouth of the Rio Grande River(Boca Chica), taking spectacular overhead pics of the river, surf and beach.  Some speculated that Diego flew over the region in an airplane or used a drone, but, instead he had tied a tiny Chinese camera to the string of a kite.  Here is a link to those Boca Chica pics:  http://brownsvilleobserver.blogspot.com/2017/01/aerial-boca-chica-kite-pics-by-diego.html


Yesterday, grandma and I followed the kitefliers to an open field behind the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge.  We are publishing 24 pictures, most including unique views of Brownsville's actual sister city, from near the old bridge.

You will recognize the customs area, the river and bridge, Garcia's in Matamoros, businesses along Mexico Blvd. and overviews of the city across the river.(Several pics are cut by a vertical red line, the kite string that held the camera.)