Kino Flores’ (D-Palmview) Ranch Hand Wanted for Gruesome Murder

Blog / September 2, 2008

Did I mention he might be an illegal immigrant?  Another report out of McAllen

McALLEN — A ranch worker hired by a Texas lawmaker is a suspected illegal immigrant now wanted in the fatal beating of a young Hispanic man, authorities said Monday.

Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said Froylen Casares, 24, is suspected of using a bat to beat another man to death on the ranch early Monday. Casares, a Honduran, remained at large Monday afternoon.

"It was a very bloody, very bloody, very gruesome crime scene," Trevino said in a story for Monday’s online edition of The Monitor in McAllen.

Kino responded to the controversy in the "most eloquent" manner possible:

Casares was employed at a ranch owned by state Rep. Kino Flores, who said he hired the man without checking his immigration status.

"He was preppy. He looked the part. No indication. He fit in extremely well, he had family members here," Flores, D-Palmview, told the newspaper. "It just looks bad in general. I certainly don’t want to go around challenging people’s status."

Flores said he did not know the victim.

Casares’ immigration status and whether Flores broke the law by hiring him would have to be investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Trevino said.