Fingerprint on grocery bag leads to arrest

UPDATE: Court documents obtained by KVIA detail how the body of Rogelio Guillermo Suarez was discovered on March 3.

A woman walking through the canal with her dog was alerted to the body by Benjamin Jacob Perez. According to the court documents he told the woman, "I think it's a body" after alerting her that her dog was biting "something".

The woman called 911 and Perez told her that he did not want any part of it and left the canal.

Police arrived to find Suarez face down and partly covered by a thin plastic tarp, his sweater was torn in what police stated "possibly indicating a physical struggle".

Crimes Against Persons detectives found several grocery bags with groceries and with what detectives describe as "blood smeared on them".

A damaged cellphone and multiple 9mm shell casings were also found by detectives.

Receipts from the grocery bags and surveillance video from various businesses in the area showed Suarez wearing the same clothes he was found in, and texting and talking on the phone on Feb. 27.

Through the investigation it was determined that Suarez lived near where his body was found. Police officers met with Victor Perez, Benjamin's father and asked him about Suarez. Victor Perez confirmed he lived with them. At that point Benjamin told police he was the one who alerted the woman of the body.

Victor told police that Suarez was his daughter-in-law's son, adding that his son, Benjamin, and Suarez did not get along and could not "be around each other" even thought they never had a physical fight before.

Victor told police he last saw Suarez on Feb. 27 when he gave him $40 dollars to buy groceries.

His son, Benjamin, told police it was him who alerted the woman walking her dog about the body. Police advised him of his Miranda rights but he refused to give a statement, according to court records. Police sought a search warrant and searched Perez' vehicle, police recovered a black 9mm handgun loaded with ammunition which matched the casings found in the canal.

An autopsy showed Suarez had been shot multiple times, one gunshot would to his shoulder "showed evidence of being a close contact shot", according to court records.

Perez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility where he remains.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)- The Crimes Against Persons unit arrested and charged 32-year-old Benjamin Jacob Perez with murder after 19-year-old Rogelio Guillermo Suarez was found dead in a canal in Lower Valley.

Officials says that on March 3, 2026, at around 7:54 a.m., officers with the El Paso Police Department responded to an unknown problem call at the 7500 block of Green Valley, near the canal area.

When officers arrived, officials say that officers located 19-year-old Rogelio Guillermo Suarez, who was dead at the scene.

EPPD says that detectives with the El Paso Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit responded and deemed the death suspicious in nature.

Perez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility and according to court documents, his bond has been set at $300,000.

EPPD says anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the El Paso Police Department at 915-832-4400, Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 or online at cselpaso.org, to remain anonymous.  

The investigation is ongoing.