El Paso’s Homicide Rate Tops Last Year’s Total

We’re just four weeks into the new year, but El Paso’s homicide rate has already surpassed last year’s. The city saw 5 homicides in 2010; that was the lowest count in 46 years. This weekend detectives handled four homicides in the span of ten hours. The total count as of Saturday night was 6 homicides.

Authorities said two people were fatally stabbed on the 11000 block of Pratt Street in East El Paso Friday afternoon.

A spokesman with Emergency Medical Services told ABC-7 that a 58-year-old woman and a 20-year-old woman, who were mother and daughter, were killed. A third woman who was rushed to an area hospital with stab wounds, is currently in critical condition.

Police confirmed that two were killed shortly after 4 p.m inside a home on El Paso’s east side. A spokesman with the department said they have a person of interest in police custody.

About three hours later on El Paso’s west side, a man was stabbed to death at the Rescue Mission of El Paso in the 1900 block of W. Paisano.

El Paso Police have charged Clarence Edward Roper, 50, with murder in the man’s death after the two were involved in a verbal altercation and Roper allegedly produced a knife and stabbed him.

Finally, at around 2 a.m. Saturday morning the El Paso Police Department confirmed that a 30-year-old man was killed in a confrontation at 5300 Dyer Street.

Another man was transported to an area hospital — his condition was not released. It’s unclear how both men were injured. No arrests have been made so far.

“At this point we haven’t identified any correlation between any of the homicides. They all seem to be random if you will, or family type situations,” said Detective Mike Baranyay with the El Paso Police Department.

Baranyay said detectives have been working on very little sleep, as the rash of murders spread the department’s resources thin. “Our crimes scene unit, which is currently staffed with 2 response teams, is what was impacted the greatest. For instance, any regular case patrol would have encountered that would have required a crime scene unit, there simply wasn’t a unit available.”

Police told ABC-7 there’s no reason for people at home to feel threatened or overly alarmed, but stress that it’s important for everyone to take an active role in their own safety by always being aware of their surroundings.