Claimed Texas transporter could deal with capital repercussion in 53 traveler passings
The supposed driver of the Texas transient demise truck is planned to show up in court Thursday evening on a human carrying charge that could prompt his execution.
Hector Zamorano Jr., 45, is accused of a solitary count of transportation of expatriates bringing about death, which conveys a most extreme punishment of life in jail or demise.
Zamorano was busted subsequent to taking off from local people who found him concealing in brush close to the location of ghastliness in San Antonio and brought up him to cops, as per a criminal protest unlocked Thursday.
Zamorano was supposedly
“extremely high on meth”
and Mexican specialists have said he attempted to make himself look like a transient to keep away from capture in Monday’s occurrence, which prompted the passings of 53 of the travelers stuffed into the boiling trailer.
Zamorano was recognized through a particular, dark shirt with stripes and a cap that matched reconnaissance film from a movement designated spot he purportedly went through before, as per the grievance.
A photo posted online Wednesday allegedly shows Zamorano grinning as he leaned out the driver’s window of the 18-wheeler at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Encinal, Texas, about three hours before he allegedly abandoned the truck in a remote area near the Lackland Air Force Base.
The trailer carried 64 migrants, 48 of whom were dead when authorities arrived at the scene, according to the complaint.
Zamorano is expected to appear in San Antonio federal court at 1:30 p.m. Central time, according to the San Antonio US Attorney’s Office.
An alleged accomplice, Christian Martinez, 28, was arrested Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, which also carries the possibility of capital punishment, the feds said,
Martinez was busted based on evidence uncovered on Zamorano’s cell phone that showed they discussed the smuggling scheme, according to prosecutors.
A spokesperson for Western Texas US Attorney Ashley Hoff didn’t immediately respond Thursday when asked when Hoff would decide whether to seek capital punishment in the case.
Two Mexican citizens — Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48 — were also arrested Monday after they left the San Antonio house used as the address to register the truck.
D’Luna-Bilboa was allegedly caught with a handgun stashed in the center console of the truck he was driving and more guns were allegedly found inside the house.
They’re scheduled to appear in court for bail hearings on Friday.
