U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry have detained a man wanted for an alleged homicide in Fort Worth, Texas. The incident occurred on August 26, when officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge referred Hugo Francisco Garza Munoz, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, for secondary inspection as he was traveling as a passenger on a commercial bus.
During the secondary inspection, biometric verification through law enforcement databases revealed that Garza Munoz had an outstanding felony warrant from Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office related to a homicide or murder-overdose involvement charge.
Port Director Alberto Flores stated, “The successful apprehension of this individual demonstrates the diligence of our officers. CBP remains steadfast in our mission to identify and intercept those who attempt to evade justice, ensuring that fugitives facing serious charges are brought before the proper authorities.”
Under Texas Penal Code Section 19.02 (a) (4), criminal homicide can include cases where someone manufactures or delivers certain controlled substances resulting in another person's death due to use of those substances.
The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) serves as a central database for law enforcement agencies across the country and provides information about outstanding warrants for various offenses. CBP has previously used NCIC data to arrest individuals wanted for crimes such as homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion.
Authorities emphasized that criminal charges are allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
CBP describes itself as America’s largest law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel working to protect the nation’s borders by enforcing travel and trade laws and enhancing national security.
