Homicide Suspect Taken into Custody in Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office
JIM WELLS COUNTY, TEXAS (News Release) - Sheriff Joseph “Guy” Baker has announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with a fatal assault that occurred on August 3, 2025, in the Tecolote area of Jim Wells County.
Robert Gonzalez - Photo courtesy of Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to a call regarding a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical assault on County Road 120. Upon arrival, they found a male victim, later identified as Alvaro Garza, lying face down and unresponsive on a porch. Deputies immediately began CPR until EMS arrived. Garza was initially transported to Christus Spohn Hospital in Alice and later transferred to Christus Spohn Shoreline in Corpus Christi in critical condition.
Following an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division, a warrant was issued for Robert Anthony Gonzalez for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, investigators located Gonzalez in the Alice area, where he was taken into custody without incident. Investigators also traveled to Christus Spohn Shoreline to check on Garza’s condition. Medical staff advised that Garza had sustained injuries that were non-recoverable and that he had no brain activity. He later succumbed to his injuries.
As a result, charges against Gonzalez were upgraded to Murder (Texas Penal Code § 19.02). He is currently being held in the Jim Wells County Jail on a bond set at $1,100,000.
“Our priority is to ensure that individuals who commit violent crimes in our community are brought to justice,” said Sheriff Baker. “This tragic and senseless act has deeply affected the victim’s family. Thanks to the dedication of our investigators and partner agencies, we are one step closer to providing them with the justice they deserve.”
The investigation remains active, and no further information will be released at this time to preserve the integrity of the case.
