Edgar Barrera, a 33-year-old Hispanic man, was killed on August 4, 2021, in Brownsville, Texas. He was found with a gunshot wound inside a white vehicle that had collided with two other vehicles outside an apartment complex on the 5400 block of Boca Chica Boulevard. Investigators believe Barrera was driving when he was shot; several shell casings were recovered though reports differ on how many times he was hit.

Arrest warrants were executed for three suspects. Hector Hugo Lopez, 24, and his brother Carlos Alberto Lopez, 20, were taken into custody at a residence on Brownsville’s southeast side. Michael Rodriguez was arrested in West Texas with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Taskforce. All three were charged with murder, engaging in organized criminal activity, and tampering with physical evidence; the Lopez brothers were arraigned with bonds set at $1,040,000 each.

Hector Hugo Lopez later pleaded guilty to Barrera’s murder and received a 35-year prison sentence; a tampering charge against him was dismissed as part of the plea. Carlos Alberto Lopez and Michael Rodriguez have pleaded not guilty and remain held on bond. Did anyone in the area see the white vehicle or notice unusual activity near Boca Chica Boulevard that day?