HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man accused of committing capital murder in 2017 will not receive a further bond reduction for his charges.
On Wednesday, Benjamin Chavez Sanchez, a 25-year-old man from California, appeared in court and attempted to lower the $551 thousand bond total he faces relating to a 2017 murder in Mission. Chavez Sanchez’s attorney stated his family does not have the funds to pay for his current bond total.
A Hidalgo County district judge overseeing the case denied the reduction, however, and noted that she had already lowered his bond from the original $1.1 million total in October 2021 on a deal that he would be under house arrest if he was released.
Chavez Sanchez is accused of kidnapping and murdering Jose Angel Martinez on Nov. 8, 2017. He is also accused of kidnapping and assaulting another man on the same day.
Martinez’s body was found dismembered and buried at a ranch outside Mission city limits.
Police identified Chavez Sanchez and Gabino Salinas, 36, as suspects and arrested them both on Nov. 10, 2017. Both received charges of capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and possession of marijuana.
According to police, the crime is considered to be gang-related. Chavez Sanchez and Salinas have tattoos worn by members of the Vallucos prison gang, according to authorities.
Both men were indicted in August 2019. Chavez Sanchez is set for trial on April 25. Salinas will also face trial in April.
