Travis County Grand Jury Returns Indictments In 2016 Cold Case

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — A Travis County grand jury indicted two men for murder in a case that had long gone unsolved.

On Friday, September 27, the grand jury indicted Jose Cruz Rivera and Henry Lopez Leon for the 2016 murder of Alexander Macias Garcia, the Travis County District Attorney's Office said in a press advisory this week. The DA's office noted the murder had gone unsolved until detectives with the Cold Case Unit of the Austin Police Department began investigating the case further and submitted additional items for DNA testing, including a blood stain found on the victim’s shirt that eventually led them to Henry Lopez Leon.

The case stems from a series of events that occurred in the early morning hours of Oct. 15, 2016. Alexander Macias Garcia and his brother were driving home after a night out with friends, unaware two individuals with whom Macias Garcia had a brief altercation earlier in the evening were following behind their vehicle.

The two men continued following the brothers down Interstate 35 and across to Wells Branch Parkway before causing an accident, which brought Macias Garcia’s vehicle to a stop in a dark secluded area. As Macias Garcia and his brother exited their vehicle, one of the occupants from the other vehicle shot at them multiple times. Macias Garcia sustained a fatal wound to the head and his brother was hospitalized for his injuries.

The surviving brother was unable to provide police with positive identification of the suspects, the DA noted. With no witnesses to the shooting and no suspects at the scene when police arrived, the case quickly went cold.

But after a thorough investigation by the APD Cold Case Unit, the evidence led detectives to Jose Cruz Rivera and Henry Lopez Leon. Detectives were able to interview both suspects and locate the murder weapon that traced back to both suspects. In addition, the stain found on Macias Garcia’s shirt, which had originated from the physical altercation that occurred earlier in the evening in a nightclub parking lot, matched Lopez Leon’s profile based on DNA testing, according to the DA's office.

The solving of the case showcased the collaborative work of the Austin Police Department Cold Case Unit and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office in establishing a team of detectives and prosecutors to collaborate on cold cases in 2017.

“We are proud of the hard work and dedication the APD Cold Case Unit has given to these unsolved cases," DA Margaret Moore said following the indictments. "Having a team of prosecutors and detectives who are committed to bringing justice to these families is a top priority of the police department and this office.”