(Staff photo by Ray Quiroga)
By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
Area law enforcement and the public, in general, gathered at San Benito’s Heavin Park Pavilion last Friday evening, Nov. 17, 2023, paying homage to fallen San Benito Police Lieutenant Milton Resendez who was killed in the line of duty during a shooting on October 17, 2023.
The incident occurred on Sam Houston Blvd. during a vehicular pursuit involving two Brownsville suspects. The vigil concluded with a mile walk around the Resaca trail led by Resendez’s widow, Melissa.
Among those speaking were San Benito Police Chief Mario G. Perea, San Benito Mayor Ricardo Guerra and Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, who said that he’s taking Resendez’s killing, “very personally,” having known the family for years. Melissa Resendez is a Cameron County Probation Officer.
After the event, Saenz told the NEWS that the investigation into the lieutenant’s death is continuing and that his office, and the investigators are taking their time, making sure their investigation is thorough.
Saenz explained that while a conviction against the two suspects accused of the shooting may appear as a sure thing from the outside, it’s his experience that anything can happen in court. Therefore, he’s not rushing the investigation nor setting any type of deadline as to when the investigation should conclude.
“There are good cases, and there are weak cases, but there’s no such things as an opened and shut case,” Saenz said. “I’ve lost cases we’re supposed to win, and we’ve won cases we’re supposed to lose; you just never know, but we’ve got to be careful in this case. It’s a police officer who lost his life, and we’ll take our time doing what we have to do. We will move on it accordingly and timely, but we have to be very cautious about the entire process.”
“I don’t want to give myself a timeline. In these situations, time is on our side, and there’s no sense in rushing it,” Saenz said, adding that there will be a trial in this case. “There’s going to be a trial, and we have to be very well prepared for that.”
Saenz continued by explaining that he cannot discuss the details of the case while the matter is under investigation, adding that it’s too early in the investigation to conclude whether or not he will seek the death penalty against one or both suspects.
Saenz went on to add that determining whether or not his office will seek the death penalty in this case is a part of the process but that it will occur towards its conclusion.
The DA ended by saying, when the time comes, he will confer with the family and Resendez’s widow regarding their wishes as to the direction the DA’s office takes on the matter, but that currently, emotions are too raw, as the family is riddled with grief.
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1 comment
Give it a rest! You’ve milked this cow dry. Nobody cares anymore!