Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

Family steps up quest for answers in ICE agent's murder
Posted: 06.29.2012 at 10:27 AM
Updated: 06.29.2012 at 5:25 PM
Action 4 News Staff

Members of the Action 4 News team worked together to bring you this report.

0
Mary Zapata, Mother of slain ICE agent Jaime Zapata
Slideshow
Photo:

A Brownsville family is stepping up their quest for answers in the death of an ICE against killed by a weapon linked to the "Fast & Furious" scandal.

The family of slain U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jaime Zapata held a press conference in Brownsville on Friday morning.

Zapata's mother Mary Zapata says they still don't have answers more than year after her son's February 2011 murder in San Luis Potosi.

Zetas drug cartel leader Julian Espinoza-Zapata (aka "El Piolin") is facing federal charges in Washington DC but little other information about the case has come out.

Fast & Furious

The family's press conference comes one day after Congress found U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for not releasing documents related to the "Fast & Furious" scandal.

U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) agents let gun smugglers ship weapons to Mexican drug cartels.

One of the smuggled weapons was used to kill Zapata while another was used to kill a Border Patrol agent in Arizona.

Dozens of Congressmen, including the Rio Grande Valley's Ruben Hinojosa (D-Mercedes), staged a "walk out" to support Holder.

Family Reaction

The Zapata family's attorney Trey Martinez said they have no political agenda and that they just want answers.

The family filed a wrongful death claim with the federal government earlier this month.

Legal observers said the claim is the first step in filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

Mary Zapata told reporters that she want to know if her son's death could have been avoided.

Related Links

What do you think?
What do you think about Congress' decision to find U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for not releasing documents in the "Fast & Furious" scandal?

Popular Stories
Thumbnail
Starr County teen killed after being run over by her own car
Nadia Galindo  |  Yesterday at 4:15 PM  |  19 comments
Thumbnail
POLICE: On-line predator lured teenage boy to his dorm room
Sergio Chapa  |  Yesterday at 5:15 PM  |  22 comments
Thumbnail
Family claims jealous girl threatened to kill newspaper staff
Veronica Gallegos  |  Yesterday at 7:50 PM  |  18 comments
Follow Valley Central
Get news and weather notifications on your phone by downloading the iPhone or Android app below
Sign up to get alerts and updates for breaking news, severe weather, and deals:
submit
ADVERTISEMENT
Special Features
Valley Football Central
LIVE video and audio streams of Rio Grande Valley high school football games.
High School Football
High school football season is here.
Fallen Heroes Page
Action 4 News has created a page to honor all of the Rio Grande Valley's 41 fallen heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan.
SPI Web Cams
Watch LIVE weather video cameras from South Padre Island and Port Isabel
ADVERTISEMENT