Maverick County has a serious Domestic Violence problem in the community
By: Jose G. Landa
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
Recent events in Maverick County involving two homicide cases within the past two months brought to light the worst kept secret in the community regarding the serious domestic violence problem within Maverick County. With Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, December is the second worst month when domestic violence cases occur in the State of Texas.
As the year 2013 comes to an end, many citizens are prepared to leave the past behind and ready to start a new year. There are many in our community and across the nation that will struggle with being able to move on as they are haunted by the fear and reality of domestic violence on a daily basis.
Maverick County has a total of two homicides reported in 2013 and both were the result of domestic violence cases. The first incident occurred on October 9, 2013, as Homero Herrera allegedly murdered his wife, Blanca Herrera, age 49, with a small kitchen knife stabbing her multiple times on her body and subsequently attempting to commit suicide. Sadly, there were many 911 calls to local law enforcement authorities between the Herreras’ domestic violence cases but the legal system did not react on time to help Blanca Herrera.
The second homicide ocurred on December 6, 2013, as Jessica Lenora Colecio, age 38, from Eagle Pass, Texas was allegedly brutally stabbed to death with a knife by her boyfriend, Jaime Jimenez, age 37, of Eagle Pass, Texas, at her longtime boyfriend’s home on Bryan Street. Once again, the Eagle Pass Business Journal’s research found that there were reported calls regarding domestic violence between Colecio and Jimenez. Jimenez has several Maverick County Court cases pending regarding misdemeanors involving assault against Colecio and his mother.
These tragic incidents within a community that has a low level of crime in comparison to statistical reports across the nation are a testament to the realities of domestic violence awareness and the severity of what in many cases lead to this type of violence. Both Eagle Pass Police Department and Maverick County Sheriff’s Department officers know very well just how widespread and prevalent domestic violence cases are in Maverick County. The Maverick County legal system record on domestic violence cases is poor and needs significant improvement. From the Municipal Court judges to the Justices of the Peace to the County Judge to the District Court judges and the respective municipal, county, and district attorneys need to place a priority on domestic violence cases within the community. Many domestic violence cases, however, go unreported as victims are afraid to file a criminal complaint against their perpetrators, fear retaliation or revenge from the perpetrators, are embarrassed and do not want to go public with their personal relationship problems inside their homes, or do not want to put the family through the pain and torment of prosecuting a domestic violence case against a family member or loved one.
Eagle Pass Chief of Police Alberto Guajardo immediately addressed the severity of domestic violence within our community at his swearing-in ceremony proclaiming it a priority in his administration. Guajardo emphasized that the Eagle Pass Police Department recognizes the severity of domestic violence and that they would do everything in their authority, power and ability to assist the community in dealing with domestic violence. Guajardo asked the community and the victims of domestic violence to report it or ask for assistance from local law enforcement agencies to prevent escalation of an incident or serious injury to a victim.
Eagle Pass Police Chief Arturo Guajardo also asks the community to call the Eagle Pass Police Department for assistance at (830) 773-9044 and if one fears imminent danger to call 911.
A realistic report of those affected by domestic/ family violence in our community could be altered by confidentiality requisites within the organizations that serve to protect the victims and in countless instances the victim(s) fail to pursue charges against the aggressor, thus no solid record is left to report on.
Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber stated that there is a high prevalence of family violence within our community and that most of the time alcohol abuse and a precarious economic situation become catalysts to violence.
“It is a difficult situation and it becomes problematic for us to assist the victims as in many cases they do not pursue pressing charges out of fear or because of other situations that hold them back from doing so. The Maverick County Sheriff Department wants the community to know that we are here to assist you and if you feel that you are in danger or need to be helped or know someone who needs assistance to please call the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department at (830) 773- 2321,” said Sheriff Tom Schmerber.
Maverick County Chief Deputy Rick Fuentes told the Eagle Pass Business Journal in an exclusive interview that “approximately 60% of the telephone calls received by the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department are family disturbances-related.”
In 2012 across the State of Texas, there were 114 domestic violence murders reported according to information by the Honoring Texas Victims 2012 report. Of the 114 murders, 60% of the victims were shot, 17% were stabbed, 11% were strangled, 8% were beaten to death, 3 % other and 1%,were unknown.
According to statistics from the Texas Council of Family Violence there were a total of 188,992 Family violence incidents in Texas during 2012, including Adults sheltered: 11,994 cases; Children sheltered: 14,534 cases; Adults receiving nonresidential services (i.e., counseling, legal advocacy, etc.): 36,831 cases; Children receiving nonresidential services: 15,694 cases; Adults denied shelter (due to lack of space): 26.2%, and Hotline calls answered: 191,301. Of the 114 murder victims of domestic violence, the relationship of the victims to their perpetrator of domestic violence were as follows: 48 were married; 42 were girlfriends; 4 were wives; 19 were ex-girlfriends; and 1 was of other relation.
During the last four years from 2009 to 2012, domestic violence analysis data reveals that the three months with the highest average rates of fatalities were May (13), December (12), and November (11).
The Wintergarden Women’s Shelter, a tri-county non-profit organization covering Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala counties, provides counseling, shelter, and legal services to victims of domestic violence. They may be contacted at (830) 757-5188.
The disturbing facts on domestic violence paint a picture that needs to be addressed from small town communities to larger urban and metropolitan cities. Eagle Pass and Maverick County are no exception to the growing domestic violence problems sweeping Texas and the United States. Maverick County definitely needs to hold a domestic violence conference involving all the stakeholders including the victims, all law enforcement agencies, all judges, all prosecutors, local, state, and national service organizations or entities to design a community-wide solution and process for effectively dealing with domestic violence cases and decreasing its incidence within the community before more victims become homicide cases. It is said that it is always best to prevent than lament. If you are or know of anyone that is a victim of domestic/ family violence, please report it to the appropriate law enforcement agencies at 911, (830) 773-9044, or (830) 773-2321.