Socorro man charged with murder attempted to hide victim’s body, court records show
Update (September 25, 2024): The court has scheduled a Judge's Conference for December 3, 2024, a Motions Hearing for April 17, 2025, a Final Judge's Conference for July 17, 2025, a Final Hearing and Plea Deadline for September 9, 2025, and Special Setting Jury Trials for September 11 and 12.
Update (August 8, 2024): At Rodriguez's bond hearing this morning, the judge denied the motion for a reduced bond.
Update (August 7, 2024): Jail records show Rodriguez remains in jail on a $500,000 bond.
He will have a bond hearing on August 8, 2024.
SOCORRO, Texas (KVIA) -- A man charged with murdering his neighbor Thursday attempted to hide the victim's body, according to an affidavit filed by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
EPCSO deputies arrested 39-year-old Oscar Rodriguez Thursday for the murder of 36-year-old Joel Holguin.
EPCSO's Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation upon request from the responding agency, the Socorro Police Department.
According to the affidavit, Socorro Police Officers were alerted of a possible homicide around 8:40 p.m. Thursday.
The person who reported the murder met with officers, and reportedly told them when he arrived home around noon Thursday, Rodriguez told him he had gotten into an argument with Holguin, and killed him.
The affidavit states that the person who reported the murder then saw Holguin's body laying next to his own home with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Court documents state Rodriguez then told the person who reported the murder that he was with Holguin at Holguin's home when the two began to fight.
Rodriguez reportedly told the person who reported to police that he had had a gun, and there was a struggle between Rodriguez and Holguin for it. Rodriguez reportedly said he was able to regain control of the gun, and shot Holguin in the chest.
The person who reported the murder told police Rodriguez had had a 9mm handgun in his pocket.
Rodriguez allegedly then told the person who reported to police to help him load Holguin's body into the reporter's truck, and threatened to shoot the reporter if they did not help. The affidavit states the reporter refused to help, but allowed Rodriguez to take his truck.
Rodriguez then allegedly put Holguin's body in the bed of the truck, covered by a piece of carpet, and drove away.
The person who reported to police said Rodriguez was gone for several hours, and arrived back on foot around 2 p.m.
Rodriguez said that he had gotten the truck stuck.
The reporter said it was then that he recruited a friend to help get the truck. The friend reportedly did not know about the murder. Documents state that friend drove the reporter and Rodriguez to a canal on Dindinger and Glorietta Road in El Paso County.
The three were reportedly able to get the truck out with help from ditch riders from the Lower Valley Water District, who were passing by and saw the three men trying to remove the truck.
The person who reported the murder said the three men then drove back to Rodriguez's home, and when they arrived, Rodriguez washed the bed of the truck in the driveway.
The reporter said it was then that he was able to leave the home. He told police he drove to his daughter's home, arriving shortly after 7 p.m., then the pair drove to the Socorro Police Station at 240 N Moon to report the murder.
Socorro Police Officers then requested assistance from EPCSO, which took over the investigation.
An investigator arrived at the police station, where the truck used to try to hide Holguin's body was parked. The investigator observed what appeared to be blood on the front passenger seat of the vehicle, and water and what appeared to be blood in the bed of the truck.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for Rodriguez's home, and detained him there.
Detectives met with Rodriguez, who court records state admitted to the murder.
Rodriguez told detectives he was friends and neighbors with Holguin for many years. He said he went over to Holguin's home earlier that day and began drinking.
Rodriguez said Holguin became aggressive, and knew Rodriguez usually carried a gun. Rodriguez said the struggle for the gun began, and he ultimately shot Holguin in the chest.
Rodriguez said when the person that reported the murder arrived, that person told Rodriguez to call police. However, Rodriguez said he panicked and decided to try to dispose of Holguin's body.
Rodriguez agreed to show detectives where Holguin's body was, and detectives drove him to the desert area north of I-10 and Fabens, where they found the body.
