Laredo, Texas — Texas state prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a former Laredo U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of killing four women in September.
Juan David Ortiz was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday.
Ortiz was arrested by state troopers on September 15 in Laredo after a series of murders that occurred in the span of two weeks.
The Webb County District Attorney described Ortiz’s motive as a “vigilante,” and “seeking to clean up the streets” of Laredo by randomly targeting a community associated with drugs and prostitution.
Melissa Ramirez, Claudine Luera, Guiselda Cantu and Humberto “Janelle” Ortiz are the victims in the case.
In addition to the capital murder charge, the ex-Border Patrol agent is also facing aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint and evading arrest.
Ortiz has yet to be arraigned.