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A Honduran man accused of killing a man from El Salvador with a machete in June has been indicted for murder.
Hector Neptaly Reyes Mendoza, 26, is accused of murdering 47-year-old Jose Edgardo Sorto Molina on June 5.
On that day at 8:45 p.m., McAllen police responded to a residence in the 2000 block of Houston Avenue in reference to a welfare check due to Sorto not being seen since June 3, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Detectives returned the following day and once they arrived, they detected the odor of a decomposing body coming from one of the rooms at the residence.
The affidavit stated that the room belonged to Reyes.
Detectives noticed the door to Reyes’ room was locked with a padlock from the outside, according to the document.
Once detectives made their way inside, they found Sorto’s body on a bed covered by blankets and clothing.
Sorto’s body was observed to have multiple deep lacerations to the head which appeared to be caused by a large blade.
The affidavit states that an empty machete sheath hanging on the wall in another area of a residence was found.
As detectives interviewed the other residents that lived in the same location they learned that the only person missing was Reyes.
One resident told police that Reyes and Sorto had been arguing over Reyes taking Sorto’s machete.
Though Sorto had been last seen alive on June 3, he sent a text to someone on June 4.
Detectives also learned that Reyes had been seen the evening of June 4 sweating and claiming he had been locked out of his room.
He asked for money before disappearing.
“Detectives also located surveillance video capturing a male matching the description of Hector in the area of the crime scene on June 4th, 2024 in the evening hours,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit doesn’t provide details on how police found and arrested Reyes, but he remains jailed at the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
He is set to appear before state District Judge Rose Guerra Reyna for his arraignment Wednesday.
