BREAKING NEWS: Teacher’s husband arrested in wife’s murder

SBNEWSPAPER.COM EXCLUSIVE!

Forty-year-old San Benito resident Julio Cesar Perez (left) was arrested Saturday evening in connection with the murder of his wife, third grade teacher Sonia Perez. Julio Cesar Perez is specifically accused of orchestrating a murder for hire plot in which 20-year-old Brownsville resident Gabriel Apolinar Escalante (shown right) was allegedly involved in. Escalante has also been arrested while the Cameron County Sheriff's Department investigates a third suspect. (Cameron County Jail photos)

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Slain third grade teacher Sonia Perez is shown in a 2008-2009 photo in which she was honored as Teacher of the Year for Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary in San Benito. At the time of her death, Sonia Perez was employed at Rio Hondo Intermediate. (File photo)

Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio confirmed Sunday morning the arrest of Julio Cesar Perez, 40, the husband of slain third grade teacher Sonia Perez who was found murdered Thursday evening on Robles Road between San Benito and Rio Hondo.

Lucio said Julio Cesar Perez was arrested without incident at his San Benito home Saturday evening while another suspect, 19-year-old Brownsville resident Gabriel Apolinar Escalante, was also apprehended. Escalante was allegedly hired by Julio Cesar Perez to kill his wife for pay.

Julio Cesar Perez allegedly met Escalante through a mutual friend who attended the Perez’ Pentecostal church located near Highway 281, Lucio said. Furthermore, the sheriff reported the possibility of there being a third party involved, leads in which Lucio said investigators continue to follow up.

“The information we have is that he (Julio Cesar Perez) hired this individual and perhaps another individual to go ahead and kill his wife for pay,” Lucio said, further noting that investigators are still attempting to determine how much money was allegedly exchanged for the murder of Sonia Perez.

Meanwhile, Julio Cesar Perez and Escalante were arraigned Sunday morning by Cameron County Magistrate Luis V. Saenz and charged with capital murder, a first degree felony punishable by life in prison or death. The two suspects are currently being held without bond at the Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center in Olmito.

No motive in the crime has been established as of yet, according to Lucio, who credited the work of sheriff’s department investigators Lieutenant Carlos Garza and Alvaro Guerra as well as others.

“They’ve been working day and night looking for witnesses. That’s the way we operate,” Lucio said. When asked if the sheriff’s department always suspected the husband, Lucio said, “Usually we try to see if there’s any motive from the immediate family.”

Anyone with information that could shed more light on the case is encouraged to call Crimestoppers at 1-866-350-5551. Anonymity will be upheld.

As first reported by the News on sbnewspaper.com, it was at approximately 10:49 p.m. Thursday, March 31 when a deputy of the Precinct 4 Cameron County Constable’s Office located Sonia Perez’ vehicle parked on Robles Road, a dirt road located between San Benito and Harlingen. She was found slumped over the steering wheel with wounds indicating that she had been shot twice, once in the right abdomen and another in the head. Initially, the deputy constable said he exited his unit to further investigate since the car’s headlights were on.

The case was promptly turned over to the sheriff’s department and an extensive investigation began.

At the time of her death, Sonia Perez was employed as a third grade teacher at Rio Hondo Intermediate. She previously worked for nine years at San Benito CISD, beginning her career at Rangerville Elementary before working as a first grade teacher at Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary, where she was named Teacher of the Year for 2008-2009.

Officials with both Rio Hondo and San Benito school districts expressed shock over news of her passing as grief counselors at Rio Hondo Intermediate were on-hand Friday morning to help students and fellow educators as well as faculty cope with the death.

Julio Cesar Perez and his wife Sonia Perez operated a Pentecostal ministry out of their home, which is located near La Paloma but is listed under a San Benito address.

Sonia Perez left behind two children, 16-year-old Aimee Areli Perez and Jackeline Perez, the latter of whom reportedly attends San Benito Riverside Middle School.

Check back at www.sbnewspaper.com for late-breaking developments, or pick up a copy of the April 6 edition of the San Benito News for the full story.