A prominent local businessman appointed to the Texas Facilities Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott was shot dead in the city of McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley, according to law enforcement, as reported by The Independent.
Eddy Betancourt, 61, was found by police officers lying unresponsive on the floor of a property in the border city on Saturday.
"Responding officers confirmed the victim was 'not responsive,' had no pulse, and appeared to be injured by gunshot," the McAllen Police Department said in a statement.
Police said Betancourt's death is being investigated as a homicide and that they have identified Reynaldo Mata-Rios, 60, as a suspect.
A warrant charging Mata-Rios with murder was issued by the McAllen Municipal Court on Sunday but has not yet been executed to give the suspect an opportunity to turn himself in.
No motive for Betancourt's killing has yet been revealed, according to The Independent. The victim reportedly had an office on the same strip of buildings where his body was discovered.
Betancourt was president of R&B General Construction Co. Inc., co-owner and president of National Tire and Wheel, as well as a general retail partner manager for E2H Investment.
In 2020, he was appointed by Abbott to the Facilities Commission, which supervises the construction, maintenance and leasing of state-owned buildings. He was reappointed in 2023 for a term that had been due to end in 2029.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez praised Betancourt in a Facebook post, stating that "on behalf of Hidalgo County, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and many friends of Eddy Betancourt. Eddy was a tireless advocate for our community."
"His leadership, generosity, and passion for service made a lasting impact on our county. He will be remembered with great respect and gratitude," Cortez added.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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