Remains found in Texas are those of 2 missing Puerto Ricans

A West Texas sheriff says remains found early this year in a rural pit are those of two young Puerto Ricans missing since 2015.

Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter said Friday that DNA tests determined the remains were those of 20-year-old John Iglesia-Alvarez and 19-year-old Ashley Cruz-Rodriguez, who both were shot.

The sheriff’s office had received a call in 2015 from relatives of the pair saying they had traveled to the area and had not been heard from.

Authorities were told at the time they were staying with 40-year-old Angel Luis Lebron-Rivera, who’s also from Puerto Rico.

Painter says Lebron-Rivera was questioned and detained at the time but later released.

Two murder warrants now have been issued for his arrest but it’s believed he fled the country.