Falcon Lake Texas- Zetas regional leader arrested, named in the David Hartley Murder

Lucio R. Borderland Beat Material from BB archives and Laredo Morning Times

Brothers Juan Pedro and José Manuel Zaldívar Farías, also known as "El 27" and "El 31", are suspects in the murder of American (Reynosa resident) David Hartley on Falcon Lake. 

They are also named in  the killing of  the lead investigator of the PME group in Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, Rolando Flores, who was allegedly decapitated and his head sent in a briefcase to a military base in Mexico. (Mexico would not confirm this only that he was assassinated)

At the time of the Harley murder rumors began tagging a “Zetitas” gang (teens to early twenties) were responsible.  Subsequently, a Mexican investigator began sharing information with Texas channel 5 ABC news, that identified the Saldivar Farias brothers as leaders of the gang and lead suspects of the murder.

From Channel 5 who was working with the investigator accessing information on the Falcon Lake Murder:

“the victim was identified  as homicide investigator Rolando Armando Flores Villegas, (Commander of state investigators in Ciudad Miguel Aleman).  This is the same investigator who delivered documents to a local ABC channel 5 Laredo Texas station crew over the weekend in Reynosa. He also provided our crew with information about two Mexican brothers, Zeta Cartel members, suspected of involvement in the alleged murder of David Hartley.

[Flores]Villegas said Juan Pedro and Jose Manuel Saldivar Farias are suspected members of the Zeta drug cartel, wanted criminals, and members of a pirate gang  (Zetitas) that has been terrorizing boaters on Falcon Lake and residents of a nearby town.”

Tamaulipas state police commander confirmed information with respect to the brothers: “Commander Juan Carlos Ballesteros reported that research conducted in coordination between the sheriff of Zapata, Texas, Sigifredo González and the group leader of the Ministerial Police Miguel German, Tamaulipas, Juan Carlos Ballesteros, those responsible (for Hartley's murder) were already identified as Juan Pedro Saldivar Farias alias "The 27 " (below left) and José Manuel Saldívar Farias alias" El 31 ".

Salvador Alfonso Martínez Escobedo, aka "Ardilla", was arrested in 2012, according to Mexico, it is he who masterminded the killing of Hartley.  How that transpires I don’t know.  To mastermind would have to mean Ardilla was there at the lake and created a plan to kill Hartley, or that he was a preemptive target.  The more likely scenario,  is if Ardilla was contacted by the Zetita gang patrolling the lake and Ardilla authorized a hit.  Knowing who Hartley was or not, that is the likely scenario.

Z31 along with his brother supposedly were at the lake and in charge of the gang.  Hartley and his wife lived in Reynosa.  It would be difficult to think that anyone living along the border did not know about Zeta patrols and shootouts that regularly impact the lake. 

Today from LMT:

A commander for the Zetas drug cartel was arrested last week while traveling from Mexico to the U.S. in a boat on Falcon Lake, federal authorities announced Wednesday.

 Jose Manuel Saldivar-Farias, also known as “Z-31” or “El Borrado,” was charged with conspiracy to possess marijuana allegations after illegally entering the U.S.

Saldivar-Farias, 27, is alleged to be a regional commander for the Zetas. Initially arrested on immigration charges related to his illegal presence in the U.S., a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday charges him and Osiel Hernandez-Martinez, 26, with conspiracy to possess more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. Salidvar-Farias is also charged with giving false statements to government agents.

They appeared in federal court in Laredo on Wednesday morning and are set for a detention and probable cause hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Guillermo R. Garcia on Friday.

The criminal complaint alleges that on the night of March 12, Texas Department of Public Safety Quick Reactionary Force, in conjunction with the Texas Air National Guard, were conducting fly-over operations over Falcon Lake.

During that time, they saw a boat traveling northward into the U.S. from Mexico at a high rate of speed. Suspecting the individuals were undocumented foreign nationals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally, DPS immediately apprehended the individuals aboard the boat, which included Saldivar-Farias and Hernandez-Martinez. Upon arrest, the criminal complaint alleges Saldivar-Farias lied to agents about his identity.

According to the criminal complaint, Saldivar-Farias is the regional commander of the northern region of Mexico to include the states of Coahuilla, Taumalipas and Nuevo Leon, Mexico, as well as Zapata. As such, he is allegedly in charge of all narcotics moving through the area. The criminal complaint alleges several multi-ton quantities of marijuana have been crossed into U.S. over this area every week.

If convicted on the drug charges, Saldivar-Farias and Hernandez-Martinez each face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $10 million. Saldivar-Farias also faces up to five years and a $250,000 fine if convicted of making false statements.

The arrest was a collaboration effort between FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations which are all investigative partners within the South Texas corridor to include Customs and Border Protection components Office of Border Patrol, Office of Field Operations and Office of Air and Marine. DPS also provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal Alaniz are prosecuting the case.