Month: September 2011

A man who says he killed someone in California turned himself in to police in El Paso during the weekend, authorities said. A crime scene sergeant on duty at police headquarters met with the man, who identified himself as 44-year-old Gary Anthony Chavez. He told the sergeant he killed someone in Downey, Calif., a few

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a cell phone store in the Lower Valley. The call went out just after noon Wednesday. Police say two men went into Cellular Doctor on the 8300 block of Alameda, showed a gun, demanded cash and took off. The men also got away with numerous cell phones. No

ABC-7 anchor and reporter Stephanie Valle gave birth to a healthy little boy on Friday, September 2. Alexander Scott Gray weighed in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Mommy and baby are doing fine and went home over the weekend. This is the second child for Stephanie and her husband, Scott. Big sis Velora Rose Gray

Five El Paso Police Officers resigned from the force this week, amid an investigation into several issues surrounding federal grant programs. The investigation began several weeks ago. The programs involved are the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, known as STEP, and Impaired Driver Mobilization (IDM). The officers who resigned are all veterans of the force with

Las Cruces Police and the FBI are investigating a bank robbery at the Wells Fargo bank at 2400 N. Main Street. Police were called to the bank shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday, after a man walked into the bank and displayed a note that demanded money. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of

El Paso?s TV market size has jumped six places in one year, from the 97th largest market in the country to the 91st, according to media research behemoth Nielsen Company. It means there are 21,000 more households in El Paso and Las Cruces that have televisions, and 21,000 more households for TV advertisers to reach.

Friends and neighbors identified the woman who died in an apartment fire as 74-year-old Marcia Bartels. They said she was bed-ridden and lived in the same corner apartment at Puerta Del Sol for the past nine years. “Wonderful lady, I liked her very much,” said Lena Freeman, a neighbor and friend. Freeman said she used

A recycling plant with a history of fires again went up in flames Monday evening — causing a massive cloud of smoke that could be seen throughout the city. Newell Recycling in East El Paso, on the 6800 block of Market, recycles vehicles. According to ABC-7 archives, the last time fire officials responded to flames

Revealing new testimony has been given in the case of Daniel Villegas, who has spent the past 16 years in prison for the murder of two teenagers in Northeast El Paso. On Tuesday, new witnesses came forward saying Villegas is not the killer and new evidence would have made a difference in his 1994 capital

Investigators said a spontaneous combustion caused a massive fire Monday night at the Newell Recycling plant. The blaze is one of more than 30 in the past decade at the plant, which is located on the 6800 block of Market Avenue in East-Central El Paso. Fire officials said that more than $100,000 have been spent

A man who was called to a home by his ex-girlfriend was assaulted by several people and had his car stolen, authorities said. El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home on the 1200 block of Westway Boulevard about 10:45 p.m., where the man parked his vehicle to speak to his ex-girlfriend. That’s

Daniel Villegas claims he confessed to murdering two teens 17 years ago in order to get out of an aggressive police interrogation. An evidentiary hearing scheduled for today will determine whether Villegas deserves a retrial. Villegas supporters say his own confession proves his innocence, and today he’ll be back in court working to appeal his

FBI agents were called to the airport, where they conducted interviews after a Southwest Airlines passenger on a flight from Phoenix refused to turn off his cell phone. Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger in Dallas told the Associated Press on Tuesday the man turned his cell phone on as the flight was landing in El

Border Patrol officials are investigating an incursion by Mexican federal police into the United States on Thursday morning. U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said that armed officers with Mexico’s Secretaria de Seguridad Publica were involved in the incursion, which took place in El Paso, near the Border Patrol’s Ysleta station. The Mexican government, U.S.

Kane County authorities Monday identified the pilot killed when his plane crashed Sunday as 58-year-old Donald Brewster of El Paso. Authorities said he was the only one aboard at the time of the crash. The cause of the crash was not immediately known but the Federal Aviation Administration had been notified. To read the complete

Two men face felony charges after being arrested on suspicion of a third DWI during the weekend. Police said 28-year-old Walter East, of the 5200 block of Sweetwater Drive, was driving a 2010 Dodge Charger and changed lanes without signaling about 3:40 a.m. on the 9600 block of Dyer Street. Police said East showed various

A man who was pulled over for running a red light sped off as the officer approached him and ended up crashing into two cars, police said. Police said 39-year-old Martin Enriquez was stopped after passing the red light at the intersection of Alameda Avenue and Copia Street in South-Central El Paso. When the officer

Jockey Jacky Martin was placed on a respirator Sunday morning at University Medical Center, two days after sustaining neck fractures in a fall at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico. His wife, Tracey Martin, said he has been diagnosed as paralyzed from the neck down and at this point there are no surgeries scheduled. To read

Two men — one armed with a pistol — robbed a Jack in the Box restaurant about 3:30 p.m. Sunday at 655 E. Redd Road, police said. A woman was working at the restaurant when two men approached her and demanded money. The two men fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No arrests have

As the sun set, world-famous DJs were turning up the heat. Saturday night Cohen Stadium played host to the opening night of the first Sun City Music Festival. Internationally known artists like Afrojack and Armin Van Buuren had crowds going crazy. “It was a little after 10 when Afrojack went on and I just saw

Police have arrested a second person in the beating death of a 20-month-old baby girl. Officers with the Crimes Against Persons Unit charged Jorge Sanchez, 19, with Injury to a Child (by omission). El Paso Police investigators said that Sanchez witnessed his girlfriend, Lorraine Lizzette Merjil punch her baby daughter and allegedly did nothing to

El Paso Police tell ABC-7 that the 73-year-old man who went missing Friday evening may have been found dead. Investigators said Elizama Abue Espinoza, who suffers from dementia, was last seen when he left his upper valley home to go for a walk. Espinoza lives on the 300 block of Jardin Bello, according to police.

– El Paso City Hall will be closed Monday and will re-open Tuesday at 7 a.m. – The El Paso County courthouse will be closed – The El Paso City Council will not meet Sept. 6, 2011 – El Paso’s Clint landfill will be closed – Garbage and recyclables collection routes will not be affected

Some El Paso hunters are following a new set of rules due to a Thursday evening incident involving armed Mexican authorities. Border Patrol officials said Mexican federal officers illegally crossed into El Paso. Border Patrol officials investigating the incursion are setting new guidelines to protect El Pasoans. Ryan Augusto hunts doves along the Rio Grande.

Police say a 23-year-old man was thrown from his motorcycle and killed following a crash early Saturday morning in east El Paso. El Paso police investigators were called out to the 10300 block Gateway West, near Sumac, at around 2:20 a.m. Police told ABC-7 they believe Noe Perez, 23, was speeding along the gateway when

El Paso Police have issued a silver alert in the disappearance of Elizama Abue Espinoza, 73. Investigators told ABC-7 that Espinoza, who suffers from dementia, was last seen Friday evening when he left his upper valley home to go for a walk. Espinoza lives on the 300 block of Jardin Bello, according to police. Family

Texas, our Texas, all hail the mighty state! That?s the official state song adopted by the Texas Legislature in 1929. I?ve spent my entire life in Texas, but ironically, I sort of feel like I left the state when I moved to El Paso in 1980. I grew up in the Panhandle town of Dalhart,

Here’s a recap of Week 2’s scores: Game of the Week: Horizon, 21, El Paso 20 OT Riverside44, Hanks 37 Montwood 49, Mayfield 48 OT Eastwood 37, Irvin 34 Midland Lee 42, Coronado 3 Rio Rancho Cleveland 41, Chapin 21 Midland 44, Del Valle 14 Parkland 14, Bowie 11 Franklin lost to 41-35 in 5

Americas had no problems Thursday night against Onate. The Trailblazers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back winning 62 to 14. Americas has a record of 2-0. El Dorado had a tough road game at Lubbock Coronado, but the Aztecs got a late touchdown to win 21-16. El Doroado is 2-0.

Link:International Boundary and Water Commission Guidelines For Borderland Hunters