Rio Grande Valley Families & Friends Of Murdered Children Inc.

10/30/2026

Justice for David Zapata!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EdLLN4AWd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Durante la jornada de hoy en la corte, la fiscalía y la defensa presentaron sus argumentos y testimonios clave para reconstruir los hechos del crimen ocurrido en Harlingen en julio de 2025.

10/30/2026

🕯️💙 FOUR YEARS WITHOUT RICARDO GUZMAN JR. — A FATHER’S LOVE, A FAMILY’S PAIN, A LIFE NEVER FORGOTTEN.
November 5, 1997 – October 25, 2022
Forever 24 Years Young
💔 Three children growing up without their father. A wife without her husband. Parents without their son. Four years ago, Ricardo’s life was tragically taken in rural Edinburg, Texas. He was only 24, with dreams still ahead of him and a family who needed him. Today, his absence is felt in birthdays, holidays, family gatherings, and the countless little moments that can never be replaced.

In May 2026, the man charged in Ricardo’s death pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a four-year sentence, including credit for time served. (https://www.krgv.com/news/suspect-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-in-deadly-2022-edinburg-shooting/)

But we must ask: When a young father loses his life, can any prison sentence truly measure what his children have lost?

Through our BATTLE CRY FOR JUSTICE, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children stands with Ricardo’s family, honoring his memory and recognizing their continuing journey through grief.

As his November 5 heavenly birthday approaches, we remember the man behind the tragedy.

❤️ To everyone who knew Ricardo: What is one beautiful memory you would want his children to carry forever?

ONE FAMILY. ONE VOICE. UNITED IN REMEMBRANCE AND JUSTICE.

10/30/2026

🕊️🧡 HAPPY 34TH HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY, JOLISSA “COCO” RANGEL!

October 29, 1992 – October 25, 2013
Forever 20 Years Young

Some birthdays bring balloons and laughter. Others bring photographs, cherished memories, and an empty place at the table.

Today, Jolissa would have turned 34.

For her mother, Martha, her dad, siblings, son, relatives, and friends, this day carries both the joy of remembering her and the ache of everything they wish she were here to experience.

Jolissa was more than the tragedy that took her life four days before her 21st birthday. She was a daughter, a mother, a sister, and someone whose smile still brings precious memories to those who loved her.

At RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children, our support group family remembers Jolissa alongside the Rangels. We also recognize Martha’s continuing battle cry for answers and justice.

🧡 Today, we want to celebrate who Jolissa was.

❤️ If you knew her, what is one funny moment, favorite memory, or special quality that always makes you smile?

Your words may become a precious gift to her son and family.

HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY, JOLISSA!

HEAR HER. WALK WITH HER. STAND WITH HER.

Hope, Healing and Justice.

10/29/2026

🕊️💜 JUSTICE FOR ABIGAIL LIZETTE FLORES — FOREVER 16 💜🕊️

Sixteen years old. So many dreams, so much life ahead of her, and countless memories she should have had the chance to make.

Our hearts are broken for the family of Abigail Lizette Flores of Laredo, Texas, whose young life was tragically taken following an alleged act of dating violence.

💜 We want to sincerely thank the friend of Abigail’s family who reached out to us and made sure her story was heard. Your compassion reminds us why our circle exists. Sometimes, one person reaching out can remind a grieving family that they are not alone.

No parent should ever have to bury their child. No family should have to endure this unimaginable pain.

On behalf of RGV Families and Friends of Murdered Children (RGV-FFOMC), we extend our heartfelt condolences, prayers, and support to Abigail’s parents, family, and friends.

Abigail was more than a headline. She was a daughter, a friend, and someone deeply loved. Her life mattered. Her story matters.

⚖️ We stand united in the pursuit of truth, accountability, and justice.

💬 TO OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND COMMUNITY:

What warning signs of teen dating violence should every young person recognize before it’s too late?

Let’s turn our heartbreak into awareness and help protect another child.

🕊️ FOREVER 16. FOREVER LOVED. NEVER FORGOTTEN.

💜 One Family. One Voice. United for Justice.

in

10/29/2026

🕯️❤️ AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH, NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO GRIEVE OR FACE COURT ALONE.

Tonight, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children gathered for a meaningful support group meeting. Around the room were parents and loved ones carrying memories, questions, and the courage it takes to keep showing up.

The holidays can bring an empty chair into sharper focus. A familiar song, a family tradition, or a photograph may stir both love and heartache. Here, those feelings are welcome.

💗 TO OUR SURVIVOR FAMILIES: Whether you are attending court hearings, waiting through status conferences, or preparing for trial, we know each step can be emotionally exhausting. Your loved one is more than a case number, and you deserve to be heard, informed, and supported.

WE HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE STAND WITH YOU.

❤️ Our heartfelt thanks to Martha and Melissa, volunteer support group members who consistently put our families first. Your time, kindness, and steady presence help make this a place where people feel understood.

To every family: thank you for sharing, listening, and giving one another strength.

ONE FAMILY. ONE VOICE. UNITED IN FAITH, LOVE, AND THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.

🕊️ As the holidays draw near, what memory or tradition helps you feel close to your loved one?

Hope, Healing and Justice.

10/28/2026

🕊️❤️ HAPPY 83RD HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY, ARNALDO GARZA SR. ❤️🕊️

October 26, 1943 – September 7, 1988
Forever 44 Years Young

💛 WE REMEMBER YOU, ARNALDO.

October 26 marks what would have been Arnaldo Garza Sr.’s 83rd birthday. Although 38 years have passed since his death, the love his family carries has never disappeared.

A birthday can bring back so much: a familiar smile, a favorite story, the sound of laughter, or the feeling of being together. These memories remind us that a person’s life is measured not only in years, but in the love shared along the way.

💔 TO ARNALDO’S FAMILY:

We know a heavenly birthday can hold both gratitude and heartache. You celebrate the life he lived while wishing for one more conversation, another embrace, and another birthday spent together.

Today, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children joins you in remembering Arnaldo with dignity, compassion, and love. His photograph tells one part of his story. The memories you carry tell so much more.

His presence is missed; his memory remains a blessing.

🕯️ HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY, ARNALDO!

If you knew Arnaldo, we welcome a favorite memory or a kind message for those who miss him. Every loving remembrance helps keep his story alive.

FOREVER LOVED. ALWAYS REMEMBERED. NEVER FORGOTTEN.

WE HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE STAND WITH YOU.

Hope, Healing and Justice.

10/27/2026

🕯️⚖️ JUSTICE FOR DAVID ZAPATA — BEHIND EVERY COURT DATE IS A FAMILY.

OCTOBER 26, 2026 | BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

On Monday, jury selection began in the 197th District Court in the case surrounding the death of David Zapata, a 46-year-old husband, father, and hardworking tow truck operator.

On July 8, 2025, David was struck and killed while working along a Harlingen expressway. He was doing his job. His family expected him home.

💔 FOR THE COURT, THIS IS A CRIMINAL CASE. FOR GRACIE AND HER CHILDREN, IT IS THEIR HUSBAND, THEIR FATHER, AND A FUTURE FOREVER CHANGED.

Every hearing brings difficult emotions, painful memories, and the courage to face another day without someone they love.

Cristobal Stephan Garzez faces charges including intoxication manslaughter and manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Through THE BATTLE CRY FOR JUSTICE, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children stands beside David’s wife, Gracie, their children, and the entire Zapata family throughout this difficult judicial journey.

💛 TO GRACIE AND HER CHILDREN: Your grief matters. Your voices deserve to be heard. You do not walk this journey alone.

We invite our community to surround this family with compassion, encouragement, and messages of support.

David’s life was more than this tragedy. His hard work, kindness, and love deserve remembrance.

SLOW DOWN. MOVE OVER. SAVE A LIFE.

WE HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE STAND WITH YOU.

Hope, Healing and Justice.

10/26/2026

🕯️💔 13 YEARS. 6 POLICE CHIEFS. ABOUT 8- INVESTIGATORS. STILL NO JUSTICE FOR JOLISSA. JOLISSA SOCORRO “COCO” RANGEL October 29, 1992 – October 25, 2013
Edinburg, Texas
Four days before her 21st birthday, Jolissa was murdered in her apartment near Kimberly Lane. According to her family, three men tried to force their way through her front door before shots were fired through it.

Her son was only two and a half. Today, at 15, he is growing up without his mother. He deserves answers, too.

💔 MARTHA RANGEL’S BATTLE CRY HAS NEVER STOPPED.

For 13 years, Martha has carried her grief through changes in police leadership and investigators. Her family counts six police chiefs and approximately eight investigators. Still, the questions remain.

⚖️ WHO HAD A MOTIVE TO KILL JOLISSA? Have all credible leads, possible motives, and witnesses been thoroughly examined?

WHEN POLICE LEADERSHIP CHANGES, WHO ENSURES THAT EVIDENCE, LEADS, AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE FAMILY ARE NOT LOST?

AFTER 13 YEARS, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO TURN THESE QUESTIONS INTO REAL INVESTIGATIVE PROGRESS?

These questions are not accusations. They are a call for continuity, accountability, and answers.

Through THE BATTLE CRY OF A MOTHER and RIO PROJECT COLD CASE, we stand beside Martha and honor Coco’s life beyond the tragedy.

🚨 Have information? Edinburg Police: 956-289-7700

13 YEARS. NO JUSTICE. NO PEACE.

HEAR HER. WALK WITH HER. STAND WITH HER.

10/26/2026

🕯️💜 A MOTHER AND HER LITTLE BOY. TWO LIVES THAT DESERVED SO MUCH MORE.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF DIANA RAMOS PIERCE & WILLIAM PIERCE

📅 September 19, 2014 | Brownsville, Texas

Twelve years have passed since Diana Ramos Pierce, 45, and her four-year-old son, William, were taken from their loved ones.

William should have had the chance to grow up, discover what he loved, and celebrate milestones. Diana should have had more years to watch him grow, share family moments, and make ordinary memories that become precious with time.

Instead, their family lives with an absence that no passing year can erase.

In September 2014, Diana and William were found killed at their Brownsville home. In 2015, Donald Edward Pierce, Diana’s husband and William’s father, pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder and received life in prison without parole.

That outcome brought legal accountability. It could never restore the years taken from a mother and her child.

💜 TO DIANA AND WILLIAM’S FAMILY: We honor their lives, not just the tragedy. Their names, their dignity, and the love they inspired deserve a lasting place in our community’s memory.

Through The Battle Cry for Justice, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children stands beside families whose grief continues beyond courtrooms and anniversaries.

If you knew Diana or William, a personal memory or kind message for their family is welcome.

WE HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE STAND WITH YOU.

Hope, Healing and Justice.

10/26/2026

🕯️💙 FIVE YEARS WITHOUT MILTON. HIS LOVE IS STILL HERE.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MILTON RODRIGUEZ

August 8, 1997 – October 8, 2021
Forever 24 Years Young

There are people whose presence stays with us long after they are gone. For Milton’s loved ones, it may be the sound of his laughter, a family barbecue, a familiar smile, or a memory that catches them by surprise.

Milton loved spending time with family, making others laugh, and helping when someone needed a hand. These are the things that deserve to be remembered when we speak his name.

On October 7, 2021, Milton was shot in Edinburg. He died the following day. Five years later, his family continues to carry both the love they shared and the pain of his absence.

⚖️ JUSTICE UPDATE: In September 2025, Miguel Angel Mujica was convicted of Milton’s murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. That outcome brought accountability, but it cannot replace the birthdays, embraces, and everyday moments his family has missed.

💙 TO MILTON’S FAMILY: We honor the man you knew, the memories you cherish, and the love that remains.

Through THE BATTLE CRY FOR JUSTICE, RGV Families & Friends of Murdered Children stands beside you.

❤️ If you knew Milton, we welcome a favorite memory or a message of comfort. Even the smallest remembrance can mean so much.

WE HEAR YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE STAND WITH YOU.

Hope, Healing and Justice.