Two shootings in Atascosa County on the morning of August 21, 2023, left two young men dead and were later connected by investigators. At about 1:41 a.m. Jourdanton officers found 23-year-old Jorge Antonio Erosa Jr. suffering from gunshot wounds; he was taken to Methodist Hospital in Atascosa and later transferred to a San Antonio facility where he died. Roughly 25 minutes later Pleasanton officers found 18-year-old Ross Cruz Jr. unresponsive on North Mansfield; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Surveillance footage and physical evidence tied the two scenes to a single suspect, identified as 21-year-old Jourdanton resident Samuel Xavier Ponce. Police stopped a silver Dodge Challenger Ponce was driving the afternoon of August 21 and recovered a firearm and cocaine; authorities say the recovered gun is believed to have been used in both homicides. Ponce was booked on drug and weapons charges and later charged with two counts of capital murder; he is held on a $2 million bond. The motive remains under investigation, and police have said the incidents may be drug-related.

If anyone has information about Jorge Erosa or the events that night, please share what is known with the investigators handling the case.