PALMVIEW, TEXAS -- Two Rio Grande Valley teenagers will go before a judge Friday in Hidalgo County for the murder of an irrigation worker.
The murder suspects are 16 and 17 years old.
The murder happened Thursday morning at Rio Queen Citrus in Palmview.
Investigators said the two teens showed up at the job site, where the victim, 63-year-old Gualestere Cerda, was doing some irrigation work.
Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said they tried to rob the irrigation worker.
"The irrigation worker retaliated, took a swing at him with a machete, which resulted in one of the armed robbers shooting the irrigation worker in the chest and killing him almost instantly," explained Sheriff Treviño.
A similar armed robbery happened near the murder scene only twenty minutes earlier Thursday morning.
Authorities believe the crimes are connected.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT